HILLSIDE HELPS-“But it is good for me to draw near to God…” (Ps.73:28a) There are so many things going on in the world today that can serve to distract us from drawing close and remaining near the Lord. Wars, riots, disasters, evil actions of mankind one to another, prejudice, class warfare, horrific acts of terrorism, and persecution of Christians worldwide, all can cause our hearts to be drawn away from God. When we focus on the evil things the devil is doing it can cause us to have periods of weakened faith and discouragement. We must guard against this happening by making adjustments and taking corrective actions that will help us remain close to the Lord. In this Psalm, Asaph spends half his time looking at, what appears to be, the prosperity of the wicked. (VS 3) He itemizes a number of conditions that existed in his day concerning the wicked. IE: They don’t seem to struggle, they are healthy and strong, they are free from burdens, and they are not plagued by many of the difficulties that others endure. They are prideful and arrogant; there is no limit to their evil thoughts or actions, they make fun of others, they mock and propose questions about God seeking to discredit His name. The people are ready and willing to listen to the lies of false prophets and consume their heresies as they go along carefree increasing in wealth. (Read verses 1-12) The turning point is found in verses 16-17, “When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of the God; then I understood their end.” When we only look at the prosperity of the wicked without considering their destiny, we will become discouraged and dismayed. This may be the case for some of you. Though you have remained faithful to the Lord, you have been the target of shady deals and deception. Those that have prospered from their ill-gotten gains go on without any justice being served. One way to deal with this is to go “into the sanctuary of God and draw near to God”. It is there that the Spirit of the Living God will minister to your wounded heart and restore you to a renewed understanding of His love and care. It is always “good” to draw near to the God who created and saved us by grace. We must draw near with our heart, soul, mind, and body. All other thoughts must be put aside and our faith focus must be centered in Him. It is when we draw near to the Lord that He draws near to us. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you…” (James 3:7-8a) It is in this sacred time and place that the sweet assurances of our eternal God flow freely and communion with the Holy Spirit is so rich. Today, it’s time to make an adjustment. If you have been focused on all the evils going on in your world, I encourage you to open God’s Word and begin feasting on the living Truth. Ask God to change your outlook. Over time, you will get a new perspective and begin to view things through God’s eyes. He loves you and wills this change for your life. (Bro. Jerry)
Posted on: Sat, 20 Jul 2013 11:09:12 +0000
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