“Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (vs1-3).
Envying the wicked is part of the pain of being godly, because you want to sin (vs2-3). He says, “I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked”. The flesh cries out, the way of holiness is despised, and the Lord doesn't seem worth the trouble you're going through! I'm glad this Psalm is written and I'm not the only one with such unbelieving thoughts; it is natural to us all. We see people doing as they please, never troubled, (at least as we perceive them under the temptation we're bearing), prospering economically and happily enjoying life. And, here we are, chastened daily, fighting sin, oppressed by the devil, and constantly denying ourselves. Our Lord says, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me”, and it's not easy! We look at the wicked and say, “You're winning. You're doing as you see fit and prospering in your sin.” But, this is short-sighted and foolish; it is unbelief, and it dwells within. “For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do” (Rom 7:15).
Don't be ashamed to admit it before God, be forgiven, and serve God in thankfulness that you are not wicked, for there is WRATH in the end.
The every day struggle appears too heavy for us and burdensome. He says, “Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence. For all day long I have been plagued, and chastened every morning” (vs13-14). If it was once in a while that we warred with sin and fought against chastisements, then it would be easy, and anyone could do it. But, it is impossible with men BECAUSE it is so hard! Our Lord said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matt 19:26). It isn't a theory of impossibility, but then you get through the door and it's easy. No, following Christ and not sinning is so hard that no one can do it naturally, and it takes miraculous saving grace. Grace makes us endure what our natural dispositions cannot handle. We could handle a tiny trial, but we can't handle being in the wilderness without bread and water. We read, “And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, 'Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst” (Ex 17:3)?
In spite of the murmuring, God still feeds us with grace. He delivers us from our sins, and makes us glad that we're chastened, rather than despising Him for it. You were tempted to renounce Christ because sin and obedience were too much to war against, so you were thinking that you'd choose sin and have it easier, because obedience was harder than you could bear and unreasonable! But, God brought you to the holy place, the place where He's revealed in the gospel as saving and damning sinners! The Judgment throne of God.
Everything changes on Judgment Day. Suddenly, the wicked are eternally filled with regret, while the righteous are rewarded with grace and heaven! He says, “When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me – Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end. Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction... Thus my heart was grieved, and I was vexed in my mind. I was so foolish and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory” (vs16-24).
The righteous are saved by the very Lamb that we've despised, and we're made thankful to the God we've questioned. “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (vs25-26). He overruled our sin and wouldn't let us perish! The Father who chastened us faithfully, made us hate sin, and then recovered us from every fall, keeping us glued to Christ eternally! We praise His name for revealing the future, whereby we praise Him now. He doesn't let us go on thinking this world is it, and Judgment is a lie; He teaches us this world is temporary, Judgment is eternal happiness or torture, and God is the reason that we live. Grace makes us thankful, when feelings make us hateful inside. We see wicked men slaughtered in His wrath and ourselves escaped like birds from the net of sin! “Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped” (Ps 124:7). The grace of God TEACHES us to deny ungodliness by revealing the hope that we have is better than the sure consequences of sin.
No comments:
Post a Comment