What We Know About People

 4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. 6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.
(I Thessalonians 1)
Paul and his two assistants were very personal with the members of this church they were writing to. They all knew each other.  These missionaries had seen how the people there had responded to the Gospel: fully receptive to the Word of God and responsivfe to the Spirit of God. Their lives had begun to change. These people also knew what kind of people Paul, Silas and Timothy were: they were sincere servants who loved God and them.  They all were examples to others of what believers in Christ ought to be.  Could this be written about us? Can others point to us and say: "I know them.  I know what they are like.  They are not perfect, but God is definitely doing something in and through their lives."?  It is good to be known, especially if we are known for being good. 

How Will We Be Remembered?

2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,  3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.  (I Thessalonians)
Paul couldn't find enough good to say about the people of this church.  This long paragraph is full of good things, but even this first sentence gives us a glimpse. They rose to the top in his thoughts and prayers. They were "rememberable".  Why? What were the characteristics that made them so memorable? They had a faith that worked: they did not just say they believed; they acted like it. Their trust in God was evident. They also loved, doing things for others sacrificially, like Christ, without any expectation of payment or return.  And they kept hoping, looking ahead, both in this life and toward the life to come, waiting for sightings of Jesus, doing things in the world today, as they watched for Him to return at any moment.  Is this the way we come of to people. Are they glad they know us?  How will we be remembered by those who cross our paths today?

He is my Refuge

27 Those who are far from you will perish;
    you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.
    I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;
    I will tell of all your deeds.
(Psalm 73:27,28)
Asaph, helped by a renewed perspective from God, has made his way through this stuggle with another episode of "Why do the Wicked Prosper, while God's people seem to suffer?"  He boils it down to two simple facts that help keep us from tripping up over it again: First, those who refuse to trust God and His ways will bring ruin on themselves; it's not our place to judge and take care of them; God will.  Second, our hope is found in drawing closer to God, putting our full trust in Him, and reminding one another of how Great and Good He really is. It's your choice.  What will you do? 

Put your hand in The Hand

23 Yet I am always with you;
    you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart    and my portion forever.
(Psalm 73:23-26)
He is here - right now, all the time. Notice the trust Asaph describes. God holds his right hand.  This is an expression of absolute trust in God's power and not his own; Asaph has turned over control to God, putting his not-so-powerful hand into God's hand.  He realized that God was guiding him in life, and that heaven - the presence of God - is something a believer walks right into. When the LORD has our hand, He walks us to and through death into glory.  Who really matters? Everyone, but especially, in comparison to all others, God does.  Our physical strength and determination of spirit not only may, but will, fail us often, but God gives us the strength to go on this whole life long, and forever. May we put our hand in His today, and leave it there. 

Was I really like that???

21 When my heart was grieved
    and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless and ignorant;    

I was a brute beast before you.
(Psalm 73:21,22)
It's amazing what otherwise joyful, loving people can be like when they allow envy, depression, and bitterness fill their hearts and minds.  Those thoughts and feelings we allow to control us can turn us into animal-like beings, with no idea how our words and actions are affecting others around us. We are so consumed with "me" we forget everyone else, especially God.  He is always with us, around us. He has to put up with our thoughts, as well as our words and actions. No body else has to.  Our thoughts make no sense; out words show no understanding, our actions are like a bull in a china shop. No fun to be around at all. Fortunately, God is patient, loving, forgiving, and powerful enough to change us from the inside out.  It's our move.  Tired of the bitterness eating at you? He is too (and probably a lot of other people too.) Cry out to Him for mercy today. 

Finding Clarity When Confused...

15 If I had spoken out like that,
    I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand all this,
    it troubled me deeply
17 till I entered the sanctuary of God;
    then I understood their final destiny.

18 Surely you place them on slippery ground;
    you cast them down to ruin.
19 How suddenly are they destroyed,
    completely swept away by terrors!
20 They are like a dream when one awakes;
    when you arise, Lord,    you will despise them as fantasies.

(Psalm 73)

As Asaph continues to explain his struggle with "Why do the wicked prosper, while God's people struggle", he catches himself in his thoughts in verses 9-14. He had been complaning and tripped over his own two feet into the very trap the Enemy intended.  If he would have spoken this out, as a leader in the congregation, he would have tripped others up as well. Instead, he chose to go to God in worship.  God helps us get perpective, see the whole picture, and understand parts of His plan. What we see as the "success" of evil, and those who live by it, will suddenly be taken care of and taken away.  We will "wake up" one day and find that they are like a dream that has disappeared. Their "success" was temporary and empty, and not to be envied.  God is good to all, even allowing rain to fall on the unjust and their crops.  But He is especially good to those who trust in Him. Don't let the current situation shake you. 

Tripping into the Trap

12 This is what the wicked are like—
    always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.

13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
    and have washed my hands in innocence.
14 All day long I have been afflicted,    and every morning brings new punishments.

(Psalm 73)

This is where we end up when we forget verse 1: God is Good. When we take our eyes off of Him and put them on the wicked all around us, who could care less about God or what He values, we fall into envy, discontent, and self-pity. All we can see is our attempts to please God (self-righteousness?) and our problems(which seem to be ever-increasing)  We no longer look to God - except maybe to complain (and silently shake the fist?)  That last phrase, however, should grip us. What else is new every morning? God's mercies, which are more than sufficient for those new "punishments" and afflictions.  When we look the wrong place, we trip into the trap of doubt, discouragement, and downright self-centeredness. Today, let's turn our eyes back (see the parallel in Psalm 37) to Good God. 

Perceived Prosperity...

4 They have no struggles;
    their bodies are healthy and strong.
5 They are free from common human burdens;
    they are not plagued by human ills.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace;
    they clothe themselves with violence.
7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
    their evil imaginations have no limits.
8 They scoff, and speak with malice;
    with arrogance they threaten oppression.
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
    and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them
    and drink up waters in abundance.
11 They say, “How would God know?    Does the Most High know anything?"
(Psalm 73:4-11)
This world paints a very pretty, but pernicious picture of prosperity. We do it through social idols, politicians, advertising, and propaganda. There are images of the perfect body, wearing the perfect clothing and jewelry, who goe through life acting as if no one else really matters. They speak in a condescending manner and presume that they "have arrived". They are a self-made succcess. And we begin to believe them. We form our lives, and our attitudes around what they say, do, and presume. And lest our envy destroy us, we begin to accept their doubt in and defiance of God.  We begin to forget that not only is God good, He is also all wise and powerful. We support the proud in their arrogance and forget the love, care, and future God has for us.  It's all a mirage intended to discourage and defeat us.  May we not accept the lies, but may we also not fight them with our our forms of pride or disrespect.  God has a better way, as we will see... 

Things That Trip Us Up...

Truly God is good to Israel,
    to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
    my steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant    when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
(Psalm 73:1-3)
This song of worship and testimony begins with a clear, simple statement of truth: God is good. Those who are "Pure in Heart" know that more than most. That phrase automatically throws us to Matthew 5 and the sermon on the Mount: 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." When our heart is right towards God, we are able to see Him at work. Asaph throws us for a loop here with his second statement: "but as for me...". Here is a testimony of struggling. He was struggling to "see God is good." He was "tripped up" by envy. He looked around and saw the wicked prospering. It was not that he wanted what they had. He saw what was happening and did not think it was just or fair. Envy is often a hard thing for us to see, to admit, and to overcome in our lives. Especially when we (think we) are seeking to live life for God, in submission to His will and word, and have all sorts of issues, while those who could care less about serving God are doing well.  Our envy becomes the big invisible block in the room we keep tripping over, and hurting ourselves.  We need to go back to the very core issue: God is Good. He is especially God to those who recognize Him as creator, Savior and King. Whenever we beging to think or feel otherwise, we have swallowed the lie that will choke out our faith and love. Remember, as you go through this day, and face whatever struggles come your way: God is Good all the time; all the time, God is good. 

Stories of the Shepherd

39 When they are diminished and brought low
    through oppression, evil, and sorrow,
40 he pours contempt on princes
    and makes them wander in trackless wastes;
41 but he raises up the needy out of affliction
    and makes their families like flocks.
42 The upright see it and are glad,
    and all wickedness shuts its mouth.

43 Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;    let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

(Psalm 107)

In the final paragraph and epilogue of this Psalm, Asaph talks of those who had experienced persecution, abuse and other hard times.  It sounds in a sense like the conclusion of Hebrews 11 and the Heroes of the Faith. They had (and have) stories to tell about how they had been mistreated because of intentional oppression by those with power.  God has a way of dealing with that. He raises them up, and gathers them together as the Good Shepherd. He protects and provides for them. He makes the wicked shut up.  Notice the conclusion: we need to dwell on the good stories of God: all the things He has done: freeing, forgiving, saving, satisfying, providing for and protecting His People. It would be wise for us to pause, consider, and tell these stories to the other sheep for them to consider too. 

Stories of feast and famine

33 He turns rivers into a desert,
    springs of water into thirsty ground,
34 a fruitful land into a salty waste,
    because of the evil of its inhabitants.
35 He turns a desert into pools of water,
    a parched land into springs of water.
36 And there he lets the hungry dwell,
    and they establish a city to live in;
37 they sow fields and plant vineyards
    and get a fruitful yield.
38 By his blessing they multiply greatly,    and he does not let their livestock diminish.
(Psalm 107:33-38)
Asaph now turns his attention from man's experiences to the activity of God behind them.  God controls the waters, either sending or suspending them.  He lets people experience hunger and thirst, but also the blessing of His supply.  Why? To turn us back to Him.  He wants us to plant, to sow, and trust in Him. Scripture records a number of famines and feasts, floods and droughts - all of which had a purpose: to punish wickedness and to deepen faith.  May we all be willing to share our stories and learn from ours and from others. 

Stories of Deliverance

23 Some went down to the sea in ships,
    doing business on the great waters;
24 they saw the deeds of the Lord,
    his wondrous works in the deep.
25 For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,
    which lifted up the waves of the sea.
26 They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;
    their courage melted away in their evil plight;
27 they reeled and staggered like drunken men
    and were at their wits' end.[b]
28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
29 He made the storm be still,
    and the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 Then they were glad that the waters[c] were quiet,
    and he brought them to their desired haven.
31 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,    and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
(Psalm 107:23-32)
Timing...  When was this Psalm written?  During the Old Testament.  We know that by the time of Jesus fishing was the lifework of many around the Sea of Galilee, as it had been for generations.  But these words were written long before.  One Old Testament account that does come to mind was Jonah, who had such an experience, along with the crew who thought all was lost. They cried out and the sea was calmed. But this passage also previews those in the New Testament: Jesus' disciples had more than one voyage that fit this description, as did the Apostle Paul.  It's a picture many a hymnwriter has been drawn to as well.  The storms of life seem to pull and push us under, but we can call out to the Lord yet today. There are stories of deliverance to be told and heard.  Let us give thanks to the Lord, and don't forget to tell your elders and your pastors as well.  They could stand to hear some stories of deliverance.