Wicked Vs. Godly: Who Wins?

Psalm 37

We are in week 3 of the "Thank-full" series at UALC.  Psalm 37 is full of hope for those who trust God.  For those who don't?  Not so much.  In fact, this psalm of David does not mince words about what will happen to the wicked:

• they will soon wither and die away (v. 2)
• those who are evil will be destroyed (v. 9)
• the wicked will be no more (v. 10)
• the Lord laughs at the wicked - he knows their day is coming (v. 13)
• their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken (v. 15)
• the power of the wicked will be broken (v. 17)
• the wicked will perish (v. 20)
• those the Lord curses will be destroyed (v. 22)
• wrongdoers will be completely destroyed - and their offspring (v. 298)
• all sinners will be destroyed; there will be no future for the wicked (v. 38)

We can all agree we don't want to throw our lot in with the wicked, can't we?  So how can we cultivate a heart that is full of thankfulness for what God has done for us?  Let's take a look at the other side of the coin:

• Trust in the Lord and do good (v. 3)
• Take delight in the Lord (v. 4)
• Commit your way to the Lord (v. 5)
• Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him (v. 7)
• Turn from anger and turn from wrath (v. 8)
• The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him (v. 23)
• Turn from evil and do good (v. 27)
• Hope in the Lord and keep his way (v. 34)
• Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace (v. 37)

Look at the active verbs:  trust, delight, commit, hope.  God has given us his word, and it is a roadmap for how to live a godly life.  And, thanks be to God, he has given us his son.  We can't be 'good' on our own, but we can ask the Holy Spirit to daily make us more like Him.  

THANKfull and Resilient is Living and Loving Large

A THANKfull life is a resilient life

"...our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness..." (Ezra 9:9a)

I have probably written this before, but when I am down, or in a bad place emotionally, counting blessings truly does make a difference. If nothing else it takes the focus off me and forces me to look with eyes wide open, for the good things all around.

It is easy some days to get lost in the struggles and difficulties. But, by opening my eyes I can see the silver lining in most situations. Just jotting down a few of them in my journal, right next to my complaints and moaning brings perspective.

The truth of the matter is, God is good...all the time. He loves us...all the time.  He is good when we can't pay our bills, when divorce tears a family apart, when illness bring death. He is good.

The truth we tend to believe are the lies the enemy imparts every chance he gets. "You deserve better. You're not lovable. This is as good as it gets so give up now."  Lies, every one of them. 

When I/we turn from griping about our plot in life, to gripping God's goodness and embracing His word, it all comes together. Thankfulness leads to confidence in our circumstances and provides hope for the future because it “renews our minds” and shifts our focus from lack to abundance, and from our circumstances to our Savior.

 Ezra 9:8-9

New Perspective through Gratitude

"Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice." (Proverbs 13:10)

What is courage? Do you feel you are brave, or courageous? I certainly don't. I find myself always second-guessing decisions I make. Even after praying about them, I still waiver. Why? A lack of trust is where I always return; never totaling relying on God for my needs.

So, does that mean that if I do trust I will never have to wonder where my next meal is coming from, how I will pay the hospital bill?  Matthew 6:33 says to, "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you."

Those times when I begin to consider all that could go wrong with my life, my future, I have learned to take a deep breath and count my blessings. I know, that sounds so trite and illogical, irrational even, but it works. As the list grows, my eyes are opened to just how fortunate I am and then just how thankful I should be.

Life is filled with ups and downs and uncertainty, but that is exactly where our faith steps in. That is why our daily devotional readings often teach us that it is during these difficult times we grow. It is during the darkest hours we turn to God and He loves us through it all. He sends the Holy Spirit and we find peace and we discover the gift of thankfullness through gratitude and humility.


Proverbs 13:10-14