Psalm 73:1 "Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart".
This is a great psalm to reflect on life as we know it, and also Life with God. Asaph gives us some insight into his way of thinking about the perceived injustices of life, what those emotions raised up in him and how he resolved the discrepancies in life as he sees them.
Ecclesiastes 7:13-15 Gives us the dilemma many of us may have experienced in our lives.
"Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked?
When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future. In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these: a righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness".
Beginning with "Surely God is good to Israel" could as easily read Surely God is good to "he who struggles". It was Jacob who got the name change when he struggled with the Angel of the Lord. Genesis 32:28.. This makes a profound impact on us when we realize that once we become disciples of Christ it doesn't necessarily mean a life of ease, more than likely its just the beginning of a lifelong commitment of realignment to Kingdom principles and the business of life.
It gives me hope to know that God is good to those who struggle. The struggle is not against God or his kingdom but to get "us out of" and "get over ourselves' to live a life worth living knowing that God is near.
Psalm 73 :1-14 sums up a natural reaction to mainstream living.
Verse 15 "If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children" Asaph has a sense of knowing when to keep his mouth shut and when our complaining may adversely influence the next generation in their experience of God and when we don't take the time to understand the struggles in life from a godly perspective.
Verses 16&17 "When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.
The Psalmist struggled with this, and probably lost a few nights sleep over this. He understands verse19" How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! "
Not only have we seen indivuduals been destroyed not only in financial terms but their reputation with their livihood brought under scrutiny in recent months but also we have seen what greed produces on a global scale. In verse 7 the literal hebrew is "their eyes bulge with fat" says it all really.
It would serve us well to have a world view that helps keep our head out of the sand; acknowledge the struggles of life and know that when all is said and done we can say
"But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds."
The fact that "God is near" may be the only comfort we can be assured of.
Remember this song/chorus?
I worship You, Almighty God,
There is none like You.
I worship You, oh Prince of Peace,
That is all I long to do.
I lift my hands for You are my righteousness.
I worship You, Almighty God;
There is none like You.
Amen
I am rereading one of John Piper's books, the Pleasures of God. Like your blog this morning, it reminds me to focus on the sovereignty of God. He knows just how long to put up with the unrighteous and how to sustain us as we wait for the moving of his hand.
ReplyDeleteShirley