Accede to & Act in accordance with | …God’s will, imperative, prerogative, and purpose. |
Rest in | …God’s absolute omnipotence, eternal sovereignty, timeless omniscience, and peaceful omnipresence. |
Trust in | …God’s immutable faithfulness, mercy, justice, and love. |
Category: trust
Frustrated and Distraught!
Psalm 73 provides us with a great reminder that is both refreshing and exhorting. In times of frustration and sheer disbelief at the ways in which people… all sorts of people — especially leaders, whether in politics or the press or business or academia — seem to get away with wickedness, we need to hear this.
The psalmist begins with context and perspective. (Ps. 73:1) We must never forget the character of God… He is good.
Then the psalmist begins reflecting on his own flaws and sinful inclination. (Ps. 73:2-3)
Over the course of the next few verses, he complains profusely of the apparent “good times” the wicked are enjoying as the continually get away with everything. (Ps. 73:4-12) We can taste the frustration building…
The psalmist then utters words that should send a chill through us… yet, they are words we have to admit may have echoed in our minds before. He regrets that he ever bothered with righteousness! (Ps. 73:13-14) What did he gain? Why bother?
Then his tone takes an immediate turn and we realize that he has been recounting his thoughts — sharing his heart with us. (Ps. 73:15-16)
But what brought him back to his spiritual senses? The psalmist “entered the sanctuary of God” and there found discernment. (Ps. 73:17) When we’re coming to the end of ourselves and can’t make sense of circumstances and events — that’s no time to fade away from God. Then we must seek Him even more earnestly — we must chase after Him and find fellowship with other believers as we pray and worship the Lord together! (Heb. 10:24-25)
Now the psalmist begins speaking with God directly. We are assured that those who persist and remain in wickedness will suffer their just end. (Ps: 73:18-20) And we see the progression from the psalmist’s bitterness of soul to conviction. (Ps. 73:21-22)
Through the remaining verses (Ps. 73:23-28) we see proclamation of hope and victory as the psalmist praises and gives thanks to God.
Let these concluding words from the Word echo in our hearts…
“Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
Reliance, Sufficiency, and Consequences
Mulling over Oswald Chambers this morning, the Spirit gave me some perspective on the past few months …
Understanding my self-reliance and self-sufficiency as it conflicts with God-reliance and God-sufficiency is beginning to free me from a way of thinking that leads away from prayer and into anxiety or even indifference relative to the extent to which I confront or ignore a circumstance or need.