Bible Reading: 2 Samuel18; 2 Corinthians 11; Ezekiel 25; Psalm 73
Psalms 73:17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
Asaph had almost slipped into a grievous error! He was becoming envious of the wicked. As he looked around, he saw that those who did not love and serve God were doing quite well. They were healthy and happy and had little trouble in life. He also noticed that many atheists and agnostics spoke out against the heavens and proudly declared that God had no knowledge of their goings on.
Psalms 73:11-12 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
And yet, they increased in riches! Asaph began to think that he was wasting his time by living a pure life for the LORD. He was not experiencing the same outcome in life that those he had called ‘wicked’ were. He had a lot of trouble and problems in life. He had difficulty and affliction. However, for the sake of the next generation he would not speak any of these things. He kept them inside and thought on them. These thoughts caused him a great amount of pain.
Have you ever been there? Have you ever thought that following Jesus was a painful road and have you looked around and seen unbelievers prospering and enjoying life? Have you ever been driving to church on Sunday morning and passed a family with their boat headed to the lake? It seems that many unbelievers are all smiles and their lives are prospering. Have you ever wondered if it was in vain to live for Jesus?
The moment of truth for Asaph came when he went into the sanctuary of God and he prayerfully thought about the end of things. This life is not the end. While Asaph had heaven to look forward to, the ungodly would be destroyed in a lake of fire. Not only that, but Asaph had the assurance of God’s guidance in this life and a warm reception in glory when it was time for him to go home.
Psalms 73:24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
When Asaph went to the sanctuary and prayerfully worshipped God, he got an eternal perspective. He saw past this life and he realized the trap he almost fell into. The ungodly live for here and now. The believer lives for the Judgment Seat of Christ. The unbeliever looks on things that are seen. The believer looks to things that are unseen.
2 Corinthians 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
It is good to draw near to God and get an eternal perspective!
In Christ,
Rody
