READ: Psalms 73-74
In Psalm
73:1 we see the psalmist’s belief system: “Truly
God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure.” Given this, it
would make sense that those whose hearts are not pure don’t receive
God’s goodness toward them. How many of us share that belief? We believe it,
but like the Psalmist Asaph, we get thrown for a loop when we see the wicked
and arrogant prospering. They are healthy, and wealthy, and have no problems! Not
only do they not love God in their hearts, they actually blaspheme Him and His
name, and blatantly and publicly promote sin. Yet, they keep getting richer and
richer, and their punishment never seems to come.
Asaph
says it’s just not fair! He kept himself pure and innocent on purpose. Yet God gives
him struggle and pain, grief and heartache. How does this make sense when we
believe God is good to those whose hearts are pure? It feels so opposite. God’s goodness feels like a burden, not like we
think goodness should feel. Verse
16-17 clears this up.
When
Asaph spent time in God’s presence it finally all made sense. He got a vision
of the final destiny of the wicked. God’s goodness cannot be measured only
within our time and space. It must include eternity. We only measure according
to what happens in this life if we don’t truly believe in eternity. When we,
like Asaph, get into God’s presence and let Him speak to us regarding heaven,
hell and His love and holiness, we see how blessed we are to struggle and have
pain in this world. This suffering develops our longing for God. Like he says
in verse 18, their pain-free existence is actually a slippery slope to ruin. Oh,
that we would keep this perspective clear in our hearts and minds: Eternity is
real.
In
Psalm 74 a heart of pain is revealed again. It is so difficult for Asaph to
understand why God would allow the ruination and destruction He did. God
allowed even His places of worship to be destroyed. He asks God (vs 10-11) why
He holds back from punishing them because it makes no sense. God is allowing
the wicked nations to make fun of Him and make Him look weak. It’s not right
when the wicked seem to come out on top and God seems to lose!
The
answer comes through remembering. Asaph delares his allegiance to God’s
Kingship. He then proceeds to recount all the amazing things God has done.
Through memory he relives the powerful and mighty events of creation. This
practice of remembering God’s powerful acts of the past give Asaph – and us –
understanding, faith and hope.
These psalms
give us two distinct tools to handle the frustration and lack of understanding
we have concerning the prosperity of the wicked. One is by looking at the past
to remember His sovereignty. The other is to look into eternity to see the
final chapter. Both aspects are necessary to acquiring the hope we need to live
today.
JOURNALING AND
PRAYER
1. Ask the Lord to
remind you of times when you have felt like Asaph; when you have felt like you
suffer so much, yet the non-Christians get off easy. You will likely remember
specific people. Ask God to give you His eternal perspective on the situation
and to give you a deep and abiding eternal perspective regarding others you meet
who might challenge this newfound hope.
2. Ask the Lord to
reveal to you if you have recognized the struggles, losses, challenges, and heartaches,
as invitations to draw near to Him or if you have wallowed in the suffering. If
necessary, confess any sin. Ask God to give you a heart that is quick to run to
Him with thanksgiving at every opportunity, even the difficult ones, because
you trust Him to be refining and preparing you for eternity.
3. Spend several
minutes writing down some of the amazing things God has done. They could be
things in creation or in your own life. Try to make it as personal as possible.
Then spend time in thanksgiving for His power and activity in your life.
