Monday, March 12, 2018

Psalm 37- A Lesson In Waiting


Psalm 37- A Lesson in Waiting

I am reading through the Bible in a year.  I have only done this a couple of other times in my life and I always find it beneficial to read the Scriptures this way.  It is not necessarily something I plan to do every year, but every now and then I find it helpful to get a broader view of the Scriptures by reading it this way.

This morning I came across Psalm 37 and I was reminded how, as believers, we are challenged to wait for the Lord.  The Psalm starts out with a calm command:  ‘Do not fret because of evildoers’.   We all know there is plenty of evil and sin and often I can become really discouraged by all of the toils of this life.  I can relate when I read about mighty Christians from ages past and their life-long battle with depression.  This world, and all of the evil that exists in me and around me is troubling to say the least.  However, Psalm 37 was a gentle reminder to me this morning to wait, not fret, and not be envious.  We are commanded to simply ‘trust in the Lord and do good…cultivate faithfulness.’  That can sound tedious and boring, and maybe to some it is, but that is the stuff of real contentment, joy and peace.  The psalm goes on to say, ‘Delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.’  I do not know what you may be wrestling with this morning, but I encourage you to take the long view and the high road.  Wait for the Lord, and cultivate faithfulness.  For we know that He remains faithful, He cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13).

How do I Pray?

I was challenged this morning to think about how I pray?  Samuel Chadwick said, "Prayer is not a collection of balanced phrases, it is ...