SCRIPTURE:
“Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”
Psalm 73:1-3
OBSERVATION:
This Psalm of Asaph, a singer and musician appointed by King David, expresses what he saw and felt back then. Observations and feelings that many of us still experience today. He starts off in verse 1 speaking of the goodness of God to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. Yet he also observed another occurrence that almost caused him to slip – the arrogant and wicked being blessed. Watching as the evil prospered. How could this be?
APPLICATION:
As a younger believer, I would see this and wonder to myself – What in the world? How could someone going to church, doing their best to be their best for God and trying to do right just get by, while others in the world did whatever they pleased. And yet they were blessed and prosperous. How could this be?
It’s easy to watch the prosperity of the wicked and wonder why not me, but now I understand it from a different point of view. I recently had a conversation with a brother in Christ who witnessed someone like this. His tone leaned towards envy, when I stopped him and asked him these questions – “If you had all of that would you be happy? Could you sleep well at night?” I went on to say “Sure you might be happy temporarily, but eventually you wouldn’t. To top it all off, you’d know it’s not what The Lord was calling you to do.”
There are things that God will allow to happen and allow people to do. Some of it may bring the riches of this world, but the distance we place between God and ourselves and the consequences that come with our actions will rest solely on our shoulders. When I see the prosperity of the wicked, I must do my best to turn the other way and remember the road God has called me to walk and the race He has asked me to run.
PRAYER:
Father Almighty. Forgive me Lord when I have envied others. Thank You Lord for what You have blessed me with and what You have called me to do. May I run the race You have set out in front of me, this I pray, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
