Pure In Heart
Surely God is good to
But as for me, my feet had
almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied
the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
They have no struggles; their
bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from common human burdens; they
are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe
themselves with violence. From their callous hearts comes iniquity; their evil
imaginations have no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; with arrogance
they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues
take possession of the earth. Therefore their people turn to them and drink up
waters in abundance. They say, “How would God know? Does the Most High know
anything?”
This is what the wicked are
like— always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.
Surely in vain I have kept my
heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been
afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments.
If I had spoken out like that,
I would have betrayed your children. When I tried to understand all this, it
troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their
final destiny.
Surely you place them on slippery
ground; you cast them down to ruin. How suddenly are they destroyed, completely
swept away by terrors! They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise,
Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.
When my heart was grieved and
my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before
you. Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with
your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom
have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh
and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion
forever.
Those who are far from you will
perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. 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.
Psalm 73:1-28
Sometimes our perception is
that life is not fair. People who are non-believers seem to do better and have
more fun than we do. They don’t seem to have family, financial, or health
issues.
The reality is that God takes
care of us from birth to death. Everything is His will, not ours. This is a
short life. Eternity is forever. Enjoy it and praise God!
When we spend time with God and
see things from his point of view, it changes our perspective completely. We
may be jealous of the nonbelievers now, but we won’t be at judgment time. As
the saying goes, what difference does it make if you win the battle, but lose
the war? Like the psalmist, praise God for His presence in this life and His
promise of the life to come. He is all you need, even when life seems unfair.
Spending time with God puts
everything else in perspective.
Our Daily Bread –