INTRODUCTION - Read Psalm 37
Why is it that when it comes to the big things - the real problems and struggles, that I have no difficulty trusting God; but when it comes to those little everyday things that I really could need a hand with, I always seem to want to solve them myself.
"Yesterday a mother came to see me in tears. She had no money for petrol and she couldn't get home. I had just spent the last hour listening to her talk about her depression and maybe I was an easy target. But I gave her my last $20. I now had no money to get home myself on the bus, and what about my lunch tomorrow. Pay day was two days away and food and money were low. But at the time I didn't think about any of that - I saw a woman in need, and I gave." (`In the Hands of God', 2000)
Most people think I am stupid when it comes to money, especially my husband. But I was always brought up to believe that God promises to bless me, if I am willing to TRUST him. Maybe I am wrong, and do make silly mistakes especially when it comes to money, but I just enjoy `giving'. Oh there are times when I `envy' the wealthy and desire that new, bigger caravan to make life a little more livable. When envy takes hold you tend to forget about TRUSTING in and RELYING on GOD. This is when you want to be able to do everything yourself.
Psalm 37 is one of my favourite psalms, for in it we find 3 of God's special promises related to TRUSTING GOD. With them, though, come some challenging COMMITTMENTS:
"TRUST in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture." (Verse 3)
"DELIGHT yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." (Verse 4)
"COMMIT your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this." (Verse 5)
David believed that God would help him because he TRUSTED in and was DELIGHTED in the Lord, and because he COMMITTED his way to the Lord. There did come a time in his life though, when he lost his way,
In 1st Samuel 27, we read how David had hit a really hard time in his life, and he'd had enough of running away and hiding from Saul. Instead of turning to the Lord like he had always done in the past, he turned away from Him. Instead of TRUSTING and COMMITTING his life to God, he made up his own plans - he went and lived and fought with Saul's enemies, the Philistines.
If we read earlier in 1st Samuel 17, when David was fighting Goliath he made it clear: "This is the Lord's battle, and he will give you to us!". Then later in 1 Samuel 23, before he went out to battle he would always ask of the Lord, "Should I go and attack them". In the past, David had always called on the Lord for guidance, and during these times he also did a lot of praying and playing music through his psalms.
He lived there for a number of years, while living and fighting with the Philistines,he had no contact with the Lord, he played no music and he wrote no psalms.
Later though, we read, how when he lost his family and his friends were about to stone him, he decided it was time to 'find strength in the Lord' again. This was when he called for the priest, and sought the Lord's guidance. "Should I chase after this band of raiders? Will I catch them?"
Are you tired, worn out and stressed? Don't make the same mistake that David made and I have made in the past too. Don't turn away from God, don't stop praying and worshipping Him. Continue to TRUST and DELIGHT in and COMMIT yourself to God, and you will find 'find strength in the Lord'. Seek His guidance, not your own, and you will find rest in the Lord.
"Trust in the Lord with your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths?" Proverbs 3:5&6
"Come to me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."
Matthew 11:28
1. Are there any situations in your life at the moment that you need to hand over to God rather than try to handle on your own?
HOW TO KEEP ENVY AWAY - Psalm 37:1-5
The other night I was watching an episode of `Call the Midwife'. Jenny's boyfriend Alec had just died, and in mourning, she sought comfort from the nuns. They gave her a promise that God was watching over her. Jenny however bears her soul, admitting that she couldn't see how God could exist.I certainly didn't envy her in this circumstance. In fact, the nuns felt for her, and I wished I could have shared with her what I knew. Matthew Henry reminds us that we need to `take care of our souls', so we never want to envy those who don't.
"Don't worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon fade away." (Psalm 37:1)
1. MAKE GOD YOUR HOPE
I have fed on God's promises for most of my life and I can trust Him to take care of me; even if the circumstances don't seem to turn out the way I plan.
"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, they are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)
2. MAKE GOD YOUR HEART'S DELIGHT
I love the Lord and made a commitment to serve Him when only just a child. He is truly my heart's delight, and that love for Him grows more and more each day, when I grow and learn more about His love for me.
"See how much our Father loves us. for He calls us His children, and that is what we are."
(1 John 3:1)
"This is real love - not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins." (1 John 4:10)
3. MAKE GOD YOUR GUIDE
I have tried to commit everything I do to the Lord in prayer. But sometimes I do forget and my pride gets the `better of me' - I start to `give the orders'. It is usually in these times that things don't usually go well. I am learning to submit to God's infinite wisdom, believing that God works everything out for good.
"We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purposes." (Romans 8:28)
2. Do you have any favourite verses than remind you of God's infinite wisdom and love for you, that help keep your faith and hope strong?
WHY TO KEEP ENVY AWAY - Read Psalm 37:7-20
People call me a `goody, goody'. But I have to confess `envy and jealousy' are two sins that have kept me from living a godly life. I don't so much envy evil, but there are other things that can bring us down. And, I can see how easy it is to fall into that trap.
1) When you are young and seek to be accepted it is easy to be tempted by `evil'. I have seen what `evil' temptation has done in relationships. It is hard not to get angry or tempted by evil; but if we do, we can trust God to help us.
"Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper - it only leads to harm."
Psalm 37:8
2) It is also easy to envy wealth and prosperity, especially when things aren't going well. We may have lost our job and feel like we are bringing shame to our family and maybe even to God. But according to Matthew Henry: "a good person's life is better in every way and a lot more desirable."
If we feel envy of those with wealth and prosperity, do something to help others, or go out and enjoy what God has given you.
"It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich." Psalm 37:16
3) Finally, as evildoers, pride and arrogance will bring their own destruction and judgement from the Lord. So, we don't want to envy the evil, who want to do things their own way. We want to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, and His will for our lives. When we leave this world, we have a great inheritance to look forward to, one promised us from the Lord - our eternal life with Him.
"Day by day the Lord takes care of the innocent, and they will receive an inheritance
that lasts forever." Psalm 37:18
"For God so loved the world He sent His only Son that whoever believes in Him will
not perish, but will have eternal life." John 3:16
3. What is the greatest problem you have with envy? Pray about this and ask God to help you work through it with Him.
DAVID'S BEAUTITUDES - Read Verses 37:21-33, Matthew 5:3-11
In these next verses David has set out some "Beautitudes" (Blessings) similar to those that Jesus gave us early in His ministry on the Sermon on the Mount.
1. We must make sure we live humble, righteous, honest and just lives.
"The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers". Psalm 37:21
"God blesses those who are humble for they will inherit the whole earth. God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied." Matthew 5:5&6
"The Lord has told you what is good and what He requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8
2. We must be kind and generous examples of the goodness and mercy of Christ.
"Turn from evil and do good and you will live in the land forever." Psalm 37:27
"God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy." Matthew 5:7
3. We must use our tongues to build others up.
"The godly offer good counsel, they teach right from wrong." Psalm 37:30
"Don't use foul and abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them." Ephesians 4:29
"God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called children of God." Matthew 5:9
4. We must follow the will of God, living pure lives, obedient to His word, not doing things our own way.
"They have made God's law their own, so they will never slip from His path." Psalm 37:31
"God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God." Matthew 5:8
5. Just as David assured His people of God's blessing, comfort and joy; Jesus reassured us, even through persecution.
"God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs." Matthew 5:10
4. Memorize the Beautitudes in Matthew 5, and remind yourself why the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to you. Then write in your journal some things that you may need to work on.
THE LORD HOLDS ME BY HIS HAND
Read Psalm 37:23&24
"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.
Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand."
Psalm 37:23&24
I have given these 2 verses a section by themselves, because they would have to be one of the promises God has kept most in my life.
I am known to be quite a clumsy person. When I trip, my brain doesn't give my body the right messages. I fall straight to the ground. EMBARRASSING AND PAINFUL!
The same can be true in our spiritual life. Godly people do sin - we do fall; but the grace of God will always lift us up and restore us through repentance and forgiveness. For a time we may lose our `balance' - part of the joy of our relationship with the Lord, and we may be in pain, but God will continually be holding us in his arms until we feel safe again.
Godly people may face difficulties, their spirits may feel low; but God will not let us fall down completely. There have been times when I have struggled with sin, but the Lord has always stopped me before I have fallen too far. I struggle with depression and anxiety. I have my good times, then I will fall with a `thud'. But again, the Lord is there to pick me up.
The same is not true for everyone, I know. I am one of the very blessed. But this is why I can thank the Lord for these verses, and after a difficult few months, I can again take the Lord's hands, seek His guidance - as He lifts me up, I can MOVE ON in the knowledge that HE IS WITH ME!!
5. Say this verse over a number of times and replace with your name and personal pronoun `I' - until it feels true to you!!
TRAVEL STEADILY ALONG HIS PATH
Read 37:34-40
David concludes this Psalm with some final encourages:
"Put your hope in the Lord. Travel steadily along His path." Psalm 37:34
"Look at those who are honest and good, for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace."
Psalm 37:37
"The Lord rescues the godly, He is their fortress in times of trouble." Psalm 37:39
"The Lord helps them, rescuing them from the wicked. He saves them and they find shelter in Him." Psalm 37
Yes, there will be times when, like David, we have had enough, and we may go astray. But remember God has not left you. He is waiting for you to return to him. He is waiting to lift you up again. He is waiting for you to ask: "Should I go and attack them"....
In Revelation 21 we read about a the `Holy City, the New Jerusalem' that God is preparing for those who want to join with David as one of God's victorious warriors. What a FUTURE we have to look forward to, as we TRUST, DELIGHT and COMMIT ourselves to our Lord.
"God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death and no more sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." Revelation 21:4
"All who are VICTORIOUS will inherit all these BLESSINGS and I will be their God, and they will be my children." Revelation 21:7
"In the Hands of God" (2000) Ruth Cheater
New Living Translation Bible (1996), Tyndale Publishers
The New Matthew Henry Commentary - Matthew Henry, Zondervan
New Living Translation Bible (1996), Tyndale Publishers
The New Matthew Henry Commentary - Matthew Henry, Zondervan
www.easyenglish.info, Gordon Churchyard
