When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.
Psalm 73.16-17
There currently appears to be no end to the troubles, and at times chaos, with which the nations of the world are struggling.
Covid statistics continue to give great concern and different ‘experts’ offer different perspectives on the future. There is rising concern over the mental health of thousands of young people particularly, as a fallout from Covid and school closures and there are still restrictions many find particularly onerous.
Many are facing great financial hardship as a result of the hike in gas prices. Food banks are in huge demand even in so called affluent areas. Depending on how you look at it, the government appears to be inept in so many ways. The long-promised benefits of Brexit have not materialised. The debacle of Afghanistan is still of deep concern as we see the rise of the Taliban and the rise of militant Islam in other parts of the world. Many are living in fear of the effects of Global Warming. Indeed fear is increasingly widespread, while many times in the pages of the Bible we are told ‘do not be afraid’
How do we as Christians, believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, and those who acknowledge that God is sovereign over all things, handle such problems and challenges.
It is not a new question. It has been with mankind since the fall. It is addressed in many places in scripture especially perhaps in the Book of Job, and Asaph puts his finger on it in Psalm 73 from which our scripture verse is taken this morning.
He acknowledges first v.1, that God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart, but finds himself on a slippery slope v.2 as he sees evil on the rise and the sovereignty of God questioned v.11.
He, v.13, begins to question the value of walking uprightly, keeping his heart pure and v.16 trying to understand the contradictions all around him.
Have you, perhaps, found yourself or indeed are finding yourself in the same situation? Things seem so out of control, so many foundations have been shaken. Fear is lurking in the background. Then take heart and encouragement from Asaph’s God-given wisdom and emulate him.
In his bewilderment he ‘entered the sanctuary of God; and then he understood..’
He entered God’s presence which we are privileged to do through God’s Word and prayer, and he found understanding and peace.
May that be our experience today as we immerse ourselves in the Word – the only source of true wisdom and understanding.