(side comment – I wrote this one back during the beginnings of my parents huge battle against mold for their home. They have been out of their house now for…. 6 mos and for awhile it felt like every time we turned a corner we learned something new that wasn’t good about the house… It is incredibly hard to watch a couple who have served God faithfully for years be put in such a hard position, especially when it’s your parents)
Ps. 73 – “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 the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills.”(I don’t know about anyone else, but I’ve totally been there…)
“Only the good die young.” Have you ever heard that quote? I did when I was younger and didn’t understand what it meant. Well, I have a slightly better understanding of it now. It seems to me to be the same feeling as the author of Ps 73. The wicked prosper and thrive and the good “die young” or at the very least struggle their whole lives to survive.
Rarely do you hear stories of just really neat people rising to positions of power and wealth, or of people in positions of authority setting amazing examples for those they are leading. Self-sacrificing, thinking of others, taking your fair share of the blame, lifting up someone else and humbling yourself… these do not seem to be traits that will get you far in this world and in the way we measure success. In fact if you dwell on it long enough it can make you seriously depressed and question “what kind of a God is in control of this world?!”
But you MUST finish the thought, you can’t stop there. The Psalm continues – “when I tried to understand all this it was oppressive to me, TILL I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny… 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 can’t promise that life will get easy and all our problems will disappear. In fact, Scripture and reality seem to imply the exact opposite. However, I can promise you based on the eternal Word of the Living God – if you make the Sovereign Lord your refuge you will never be sorry, you will never be ashamed, you will never be forsaken or forgotten. But you will be forgiven and made whole. You will not regret it. He is God and He is the only Treasure worthy of being held on to.