Trust in the Lord, Psalm 37

Psalm 37 reads a little like Proverbs although the primary focus of the chapter is to remind us that we are to never be envious of those who have profited by their selfish and/or illegal ways.  Remember Bernie Madoff who enjoyed a lavishly opulent lifestyle as he cheated and robbed those who had trusted him with their savings.  Bernie will spend the rest of his life in jail and be the butt of jokes about how the rich have fallen.  But even if he had not be tried and convicted, even if he had lived his full life enjoying the riches of his theft, there is much more time than we will experience in this human life and there is a judge who already knows every deed, every thought, every motive of our hearts and his judgment is sure and true. 

The fame and fortune that this world holds may go, for a time, to the most powerful but the riches that count for eternity will go to those who have put their trust in the God of eternity.  They will one day be exalted and rewarded for their faithfulness.  In a little while, the psalmist says, the evil will be no more.  Patty and I often talk about the rampant evil that surrounds us.  There are folks who would steal your possessions, steal the innocence of your children, violate and use and discard everything that is good and holy and decent and not think a thing about it.  I chose to believe that God will deal with those who have sworn allegiance to the evil one and who have committed their hearts to the deceiver.  In the meantime I am going to trust God for justice and mercy and protection.  I am going to trust that the meek will inherit the earth and the merciful will be shown mercy and the pure in heart will one day see God.

I would encourage you to give your heart, your life, your will and all that you consider to have value to the care of our God in heaven.  Trust him with your family, with your wealth, with your job and your leisure time.  He alone is able to make something holy of those of us who have been damaged by the sin of Adam.  He alone is worthy of our praise and adoration.  Cities will one day crumble, our money will be consumed and gone, our youthful vitality will suffer from the effects of old age; but God can keep us for eternity.  He can restore our vitality.  He can bless us out of the abundance of his bounty.

Evil will one day be vanquished.  It will vanish in a burst of God's righteous power.  All that will remain is that which has been dedicated, trusted to him.  Trust him, I pray and take refuge from an evil and violent world in the arms of the only one who can protect and keep you.  "The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.  He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him."