Thinking about January

The fall semester is over and after a year of attending classes straight through I'm a little burned out. I still love God. My devotion to Him has not changed. I am just running low on steam to keep pushing up the hill towards a Master of Divinity. Running out of steam is usually a good indicator I have been trying to run the race on my own power. With the semester over I am taking some much needed time to spend time with my son, and my poor, neglected wife, and work on our marriage. I'll be doing a little doodling and starting the reading for the Spring semester. I am taking January off so it should offer me a chance to get a head on the spring semester's reading at a more leisurely pace. The two classes I hope to get ahead are John Wesley's Theology for Today, and Preaching from the Psalms. My plan for January is to read through the book of Psalms by reading for an hour in the morning. Then I hope to read John Wesley's 52 standard sermons by reading for an hour at night before I go to bed. I'll probably be rubbing my wife's head while I read. Head rubbing is an activity which is good for both of us.

I started reading from the Psalms this morning, and I had forgotten how much the Psalms have to say about nonbelievers and atheists. Check out Psalm 10. I have known many atheists and agnostics who claim to be "moral" people. I wonder if the atheists and agnostics really are moral people? I also wonder how many Christians would make the same claim. Since I am wondering, I wonder if the Bible has the same definition of atheists and agnostics as we do today.

Psalm 10 (English Standard Version)

Why Do You Hide Yourself?
 ¹Why, O LORD, do you stand^(A) far away?
   Why^(B) do you hide yourself in^(C) times of trouble? ²In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor;
   let them^(D) be caught in the schemes that they have devised.
³For the wicked^(E) boasts of the desires of his soul,
   and the one greedy for gain^(F) curses^[a] and^(G) renounces the LORD.
⁴In the pride of his face^[b] the wicked does not^(H) seek him;^[c]
   all his thoughts are,^(I) "There is no God."
⁵His ways prosper at all times;
   your judgments are on high,^(J) out of his sight;
   as for all his foes, he^(K) puffs at them.
⁶He^(L) says in his heart, "I shall not be moved;
   throughout all generations I^(M) shall not meet adversity."
^7(N) His mouth is filled with cursing and^(O) deceit and^(P) oppression;
   ^(Q) under his tongue are^(R) mischief and^(S) iniquity.
⁸He sits in ambush in the villages;
   in^(T) hiding places he murders the innocent.
His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
 ⁹he lurks in ambush like^(U) a lion in his^(V) thicket;
he^(W) lurks that he may seize the poor;
   he seizes the poor when he draws him into his^(X) net.
¹⁰The helpless are crushed, sink down,
   and fall by his might.
¹¹He says in his heart, "God has forgotten,
   he has^(Y) hidden his face, he^(Z) will never see it."
 ^12(AA) Arise, O LORD; O God,^(AB) lift up your hand;
   ^(AC) forget not the afflicted.
¹³Why does the wicked^(AD) renounce God
   and say in his heart, "You will not^(AE) call to account"?
¹⁴But you do see, for you^(AF) note mischief and vexation,
   that you may take it into your hands;
to you the helpless^(AG) commits himself;
   you have been^(AH) the helper of the fatherless.
^15(AI) Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;
   ^(AJ) call his wickedness to account till you find none.
 ^16(AK) The LORD is king forever and ever;
   the^(AL) nations perish from his land.
¹⁷O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
   you will^(AM) strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
¹⁸to^(AN) do justice to the fatherless and^(AO) the oppressed,
   so that^(AP) man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.