sokin's devotional 85 - it is good to be near God
Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind. Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment.
All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning.
But when I thought how to understand this, it seems to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin.
When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.
Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.
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.
For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.
Psalm 73 selected verses
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Embedded in every human is a cry for justice.
When you are innocent, justice is desired.
But if you are guilty, you do not yearn for justice, you desire mercy.
The Psalmist is wrestling with this in psalm 73. He sees the wicked prospering but his own tries at being godly only leads him to be rebuked and seemingly forsaken. And he wonders why.
But soon enough, after spending time in the "sanctuary of God", he is reminded that he himself has been shown mercy, and by drawing near to this truth and also to God (v. 28), he is finally able to proclaim that [though] "my flesh and my heart may fail, God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
A great truth that many "christians" can probably confess...but when the hardships of life come, this all sound so trite. But it isn't trite at all to the psalmist.
Why? How?
Because he pressed in, approached God in His sanctuary, pursued after Him even when his circumstances didn't incline his heart to do so, and eventually encountered the powerful truth that God IS sufficient and good forever. He realized that he himself was just as fallen and deserving of wrath like the ungodly because "when my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you." (v. 21, 22) We tend to shake our fist at God when things don't go the way we want it to.
We in effect, want to tell God how to be God.
But God doesn't play our game. He continues to be faithful to the ungodly and to the unjust.
Is this not what Jesus accomplished when He came to earth? To suffer the wrath of God for the justice of God was at hand against sinners. To take up the cross we should've taken up and die for sins while we were shown mercy.
We must seek this truth in all circumstances, even when our hearts aren't inclined to. Pursue, persevere, seek Him especially when it is difficult to do so.
Lord, may the confession that you are good and compassionate and fully sufficient for me, ring true not in my head but in my heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind. Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment.
All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning.
But when I thought how to understand this, it seems to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin.
When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.
Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.
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.
For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.
Psalm 73 selected verses
---
Embedded in every human is a cry for justice.
When you are innocent, justice is desired.
But if you are guilty, you do not yearn for justice, you desire mercy.
The Psalmist is wrestling with this in psalm 73. He sees the wicked prospering but his own tries at being godly only leads him to be rebuked and seemingly forsaken. And he wonders why.
But soon enough, after spending time in the "sanctuary of God", he is reminded that he himself has been shown mercy, and by drawing near to this truth and also to God (v. 28), he is finally able to proclaim that [though] "my flesh and my heart may fail, God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
A great truth that many "christians" can probably confess...but when the hardships of life come, this all sound so trite. But it isn't trite at all to the psalmist.
Why? How?
Because he pressed in, approached God in His sanctuary, pursued after Him even when his circumstances didn't incline his heart to do so, and eventually encountered the powerful truth that God IS sufficient and good forever. He realized that he himself was just as fallen and deserving of wrath like the ungodly because "when my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you." (v. 21, 22) We tend to shake our fist at God when things don't go the way we want it to.
We in effect, want to tell God how to be God.
But God doesn't play our game. He continues to be faithful to the ungodly and to the unjust.
Is this not what Jesus accomplished when He came to earth? To suffer the wrath of God for the justice of God was at hand against sinners. To take up the cross we should've taken up and die for sins while we were shown mercy.
We must seek this truth in all circumstances, even when our hearts aren't inclined to. Pursue, persevere, seek Him especially when it is difficult to do so.
Lord, may the confession that you are good and compassionate and fully sufficient for me, ring true not in my head but in my heart.
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