SEE LIFE THROUGH GOD’S PERSPECTIVE WILL STRENGTHEN YOUR HEART

SCRIPTURE:

“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.  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.” (Psalms 73:13—20)

OBSERVATION:

Sometimes the Christian life is a challenge when we look around us and see that those who have no relationship with God seem to have everything to their heart’s content.  This Psalmist certainly felt the same way.  He felt he had kept his heart pure and kept his hands innocent in vain.  It seems like there is no need to be living a life with God when the wicked people are more prosperous than a believer.  The writer of this psalm was complaining to God about the prosperity of the wicked.  They have no struggles; their body is healthy and strong.  They seem free from common human burdens.  They love violence and fashion and are proud of what they wear.  The writer seems to struggle with the idea that he was believing God in vain.  The wicked are free of care and they go on amassing wealth.

This believer could not make sense of the difference between a believer and the wicked, and it troubled him.  He was afflicted in his soul, and every day he thinks about it is like having new punishments every day.  But he didn’t want to discourage the faith of others.  When he tried to understand all that he had observed, it troubled him deeply, TILL HE ENTERED THE SANCTUARY OF GOD.  I am reminded today that life cannot always be interpreted from what we see and our own limited perspective.  UNTIL this writer steps into the sanctuary of God, he only could see things as is.  God’s sanctuary speaks of the place where God abides and where we hear God’s word being preached.  God’s sanctuary is where he gives his wisdom and knowledge, and where his Spirit speaks louder as we shut out the world.

The Holy Spirit reminded me that I must enter the sanctuary of God and be silent and allow the word of God to speak and bring his perspective into my mind and heart.  Today, I learned that for me the “sanctuary of God” is my devotional time.  This is the time when I sit, hear, and write down what I learn each day.  Devotional time with God is so encouraging, and uplifting and shapes my limited perspective to see God’s bigger picture.  I may never understand all that the world is going through now, but I can see God’s perspective of events and am encouraged that I have hope in his word.

The Psalmist saw a different perspective in the sanctuary than what he has seen so far.  He saw God’s bigger picture of setting the wicked on the slippery slope to destruction.  He saw that the wicked punishment may not come soon, but it will come SUDDENLY and things would change and everything is swept away by terrors.  God’s timing is unpredictable.  It may come soon, sooner or suddenly.  Let us trust God.

APPLICATION:

I will keep my eyes on God’s perspective rather than comparing my lot to the lives of others who seem to have everything and the freedom to do anything.  I trust God daily to teach me his perspectives and ways rather than chasing after the lifestyle of those who seem to have everything they want.  Today, I choose to trust in Jesus completely.  Amen!

PRAYER:

Jesus, help me to see the world through the lens of your perspective.  I too like this psalmist tends to lose sight of your perspective.  I confess that I need you and ask that you guide me daily and lead me to see the world before me through your eyes.  I commit myself afresh to your unchanging perspective.  Help me to come to your sanctuary daily, in doing my devotion hearing, reading, and writing what your word teaches me.  Amen!