Reading: Psalms 36-39
Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb(Ps. 37:1-2).
Human beings, by nature, are a nosy, judgmental lot. We view the world through the lens of self. We use our lives as a baseline, and we carefully weigh and measure the lives of those around us, searching to see if their “blessings” or “curses” line up with what we know of their attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs. Often, we are horrified to discover that those that seem to be “getting ahead” in this world, those that are the most prosperous, the most influential, the most powerful, etc., are those that live outside the will of God. We do indeed fret because of evildoers, and we are very envious against the workers of iniquity. We shake our heads at the unfairness of it all. In our upset over what we see happening in the world around us, we forget God’s promise: Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (Ps. 37:3).
So how can we keep our focus on God instead of allowing ourselves to fall victim to the evil that is running rampant in our world today? First, we must Trust in the Lord. Hold fast to His Word, and remember His promises. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (John 16:33). Jesus has already won! It does not matter what we perceive the earthly balance of power to be in the middle of the “fight” because the ending is already a foregone conclusion.
Next, we must delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart (Ps. 37:4). When we delight in the Lord, we derive immense pleasure from living within His will and doing as He bids. We automatically become less concerned with the worldly success of the ungodly because that type of “success” loses its appeal. Our love for God becomes all-consuming, and the greatest desire of our heart becomes the desire to spread that love to all that will receive it.
We must also commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass (37:5). This is the active component of the trust we mentioned earlier. When we commit ourselves to God, we give Him all that we have. We lay our sin at His feet, and we allow His grace to flow through us (Rom. 10:9). From that moment on, we need not concern ourselves with the “earthly rewards” of the wicked; we should instead feel a deep sense of compassion for them because they are lacking the richness of God.
Finally, we are called to Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass (Ps. 37:7). It is here that our blessings in Christ come full circle. We have no reason to fear, either in this life or the next, for our God has promised to protect us. No matter what Satan has planned for us, God will ensure that it eventually backfires (37:14-15). We are His, and God takes care of His own.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you(I Pet. 5:6-7).
Thought For Today If we allow our concern for the worldly success of the wicked to shake our trust in God, then we lose the only thing that truly separates us from them.
Word Studies: 36:7 put their trust under = take refuge in; 38:2 Thy hand presseth me sore = your punishment presses heavily upon me; 38:8 roared = groaned with anguish.
Christ Revealed:As the Fountain of Life (and the) Light (Ps. 36:9). In Him was Life; and the Life was the Light of men. . . . That was the True Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world (John 1:4-9; comp. 4:10,14; Rev. 22:1).
Pray For Staff: Jennifer Palafox, President, Bible Pathway Ministries • Government Official: Sen. Joni Ernst (IO), Rep. Dan Bishop (NC), Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM) Country: Saint Maarten (39,689) Caribbean • Major Languages: English, Spanish • 39% Roman Catholic; 44.8% Protestant; 6.7% None; 5.4% Other; 3.4% Jewish; 0.7% Not Reported • Prayer Suggestion: Cry out to God in humility (Ps. 9:12).
Optional Readings:Colossians 4