Day 188
Psalm 37:1-2
"Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity."
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb."
This psalm of David reminds us not to be jealous of those who do wrong. The sinners he is referring to are experiencing a degree of prosperity that appears to be desirable. Christians who are making every effort to live right can wonder why a wicked person seems so much more blessed than they are. The psalmist reminds us that prosperity is more than meets the eye. As Jesus said, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" David said the workers of iniquity will be cut down quickly like the grass.
It is important that we remember it is not us, but the wicked that need to be concerned about being cut down like the grass or withering like the green herb. Satan may try to make us feel like we are not going to make it. Thoughts of our being cut off suddenly may visit us in times of trouble. Ideas that our effectiveness may come to a screeching halt may invite themselves into our imaginations. Situations in our lives can tempt us to think there is nothing left to do but hide and fade away quietly. However, let us slap ourselves in times like these and read Psalm 37:1-2 aloud. It is not the godly, but the sinner who needs to be concerned about being cut down or withering away. Psalm 1 says this about the godly man: "His leaf shall not wither and·whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."
We need to monitor the thoughts we entertain. A person once actually committed suicide because of a false report, and they never lived to find out that they responded to the wrong report. Their death was a wasteful mistake. Let us make sure our reactions and responses match our nature. We do not want to be deceived into signing for a package that was intended for someone else's address. When Satan attempts to discourage us, we need to check the Bible to see if the words we are about to respond to are intended for us or for someone else.
I will order my life by the Word of God and respond as a godly person. Giving up and being afraid of sudden destruction is not appropriate behavior for God's people. I will press on until Jesus calls the church to Heaven, or until my work is complete and it is time for me to leave. I am an overcomer.