The Word for today:
Psalm 37:21-40
mark this: (Psalm 37:1)
Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong.
While we're making our lists and checking them twice, we often peek over the fence to see what the Joneses have on their "lists."
And then we mentally tabulate life's winners and losers. Because we all know that he who has the most toys…
That all makes sense when we're talking Santa Claus, but when we're thinking in terms of the Kingdom of God, our tabulations are often upside down. Here, from the perspective of the King Himself, are the winners in the Kingdom of God:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:3-12)
It can be mentally and emotionally wrenching to think the thoughts of God. But if ever we're going to discern his hand at work we must bear in mind these three principles:
Axiom #1: God is good.
Axiom #2: God plays to win--no matter what it takes.
Axiom #3: God spanks his own. But he does not spank the devil's children.
#1 would be easy to see, if it weren't for #2! God aims for the highest good (#1) for you and yours. But because his eyes are on the ultimate outcome, he is not at all fussy about the means to those ends (#2). He will impoverish, debilitate, shame, sadden, persecute, and disgrace us all the way into his eternal kingdom--if that's what it takes. He broke Jacob's leg and broke Jesus' heart to get Jacob and you and me into his kingdom.
He will squeeze the pride out of your soul--if that's what it takes to achieve his eternal purposes. Thus, when seen from his perspective, this begins to make sense:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
He will visit your heart with sorrow--if that's what it takes to win in the ultimate end. Thus, when seen from his perspective, this begins to make sense:
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
***
So I used to be bothered, as David is in Psalm 37, by Axiom #3--"God does not spank the devil's children:"
I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. (Psalm 37:35/KJV)
But we're told to take the longer view -- God's view -- of the situation:
Don't worry about the wicked. Don't envy those who do wrong…
The wicked plot against the godly; they snarl at them in defiance.
But the Lord just laughs at the wicked, for he sees their day is coming. (Psalms 37:1, 12-13)
"Checking the list" right now can be confusing, because it can look like the bad guys are winning. But in the end, we are going to find out who's naughty and who's nice:
I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.
But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. (Psalm 37:35-38/KJV)
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