Check your favorite news site and read some of the headlines. Chances are that as a Bible-believing Christian you are going to see a lot that is going to make you sad, angry or scared. We are watching a moral sea-change in our land that has been both rapid and dramatic. Few vestiges remain of the so-called Judeo-Christian ethic that once dominate our land.
How ought we to react when we see the swelling tide of evil washing over our land, our cities, and even our friends and families? What should we do? David had the answer in Psalm 37, one of my favorite Psalms.
He begins by telling us how to look on the evil of the world.
Do not be agitated by evildoers;
do not envy those who do wrong.
For they wither quickly like grass
and wilt like tender green plants. (Psalm 37:1-2)
Do not be agitated, he says. Remember Paul's command? "Don't be anxious about anything." Worry, stress and anxiety have no place in the life of a Christian, even in a world that is seemingly dominated by evil, where sinners seem to be winning the day.
But how can we not? When we look at the headlong rush into sin, depravity and perversion in our nation, how can we not be upset? When we see evil prosper and sinners succeed in their plots, how can we not be angry? How can we sit back and just watch our nation descend towards its own destruction without angst?
David tells us. Evil has an expiration date. It will not stand. It will not have the last word. God has defeated evil through the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. Right now, sin may at times have the upper hand, but that is only temporary. In the end, Jesus wins. All the works of evil are doomed.
So, don't let it get you down. Remember, every time you see wickedness rising that it is defeated and will one day be banished from creation. Jesus Christ is Lord of all. Do not be intimidated by the enemies of God. Their days are numbered.
But how do we live in the meantime?
Trust in the Lord and do what is good;dwell in the land and live securely.Take delight in the Lord,and He will give you your heart’s desires.
Commit your way to the Lord;trust in Him, and He will act,making your righteousness shine like the dawn,your justice like the noonday. (Psalm 37:3-6)
It is pretty simple. Trust God and do what is good. Delight in the Lord instead of being focused on the power of evil. When that comes, God will satisfy your heart with good things. Commit your path, your life, your choices completely to God and he will act.
Even in a world of great evil, God acts in power to bless those who obey him and do what is right. His arm is not short. God's light shines brightly when the world around is dark.
It is easy to let ourselves be overwhelmed by the evil in the world, but we must remember that our God is greater than the evil in the world. We must trust in his power and just keep walking in his ways, trusting him to work through us.
Thank you, Father, that you are bigger than whatever the world can throw at me. I trust in you! Help me to walk in your ways every day.
I like this attitude better than living in fear of everything!
ReplyDeleteThis Psalm is so encouraging to me. There are many days where I feel discouraged with all the evil in world. It is as if David is standing here talking directly to me. Praise God for His Word!!
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