TRUST, DELIGHT, AND REST--PSALM 37--PART I

Perhaps you’ve seen this sign:  “In God we trust—all others pay cash.”

Whether it’s heads and tails or love and marriage, many good things come in pairs, and the trust referred to in Psalm 37 has a partner too—it is called, “doing good”.  It’s not that you are incapable of doing good without trusting in the Lord—but it does help.  When you trust a sovereign God to be in control (rather than relying on your own merits), you are free to listen to Him and be available for the direction that He leads.  Being higher than the rest of us, God sees all things better than we do—past, present, and future, and when I put my trust in that leadership, I’m in complete peace that things will work out—even though they may not make sense to me at that point in time.  We’re told that if we follow that directive we can expect to “remain in the land”—not be moved out of whatever position we may be taking—and that our needs will be provided for.  It just doesn’t get much better than that.

We’re also to “delight in the Lord, and He will give us the desires of our heart.”  Ok, here comes a soapbox.

People abuse this verse, and it’s abuse adversely affects the peace of those abused by such teaching.  There are actually people that will hear that and think, “Ok, if I delight in God than He will give me that Cadillac I’ve always wanted.”  Nails on a chalkboard.

Folks, if the Lord is your delight, your heart’s desire will be granted, because that desire will be delighting the Lord!  The Lord may indeed bless one or more of you with a Cadillac, and that’s great, but don’t be using this verse as some sort of magic charm to manipulate God to bring that to pass.

It’s true that James tells us that every good and perfect gift comes from above.  We’re also told by Matthew that Satan (referred to in II Cor. 4 as “the God of this world”) tempted Jesus—if He didn’t have the goods to do with as he pleased, it wouldn’t have been a temptation.  Thus, it’s not the object that’s the perfect gift but what that gift will accomplish for the greater good.  Stay focused on that, and you will continue in peace—not its counterpart. 

Finally, we’re to “rest in the Lord”, waiting patiently for Him.  If you don’t think that’s too good an idea, when you get to heaven look up Abraham’s number and give him a call—and if the name Hagar comes up, it probably won’t be in connection with the great results that come out of doing our own things in our own strength. 

A very wise pastor friend of mine (who should be reading this, by the way) once said, “There’s better—and best.”  Better is our way—best is God’s—and it’s God’s that brings peace, and ours that brings turmoil.  Choose wisely.

b(Les)sings

Note:  Scripture passage will be listed at the end of Part II