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Holy Trinity Anglican Orthodox Church
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We Are the Blessed |
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Psalm
73 Thirteenth
Sunday after Trinity August
17, 2008 One of the greatest impediments to faith claimed by those who do not believe, is the prosperity of the wicked. If God is love and God is all powerful, they say, why does evil persist? Why do people get away with crime and oppression. Why do good people suffer, while bad people prosper? Even
Christians wonder about this sometimes.
Like the Psalm writer, we are prone to be grieved at the good
fortune of the wicked (vs.3). We
see liars and cheaters advance in their careers, while honest, hard
working people are passed over and abused.
The good “fall” unto the wicked, and the wicked take advantage
of the good (vs. 10). Furthermore, we see that, while we give up our
Sundays, and give money to support the church, and turn to our families
and church instead of to the bright lights of self-indulgence, other
people lie in bed on Sundays, or go to the golf course, or otherwise
devote themselves to their own pleasures.
We see that they spend their money on themselves, thus their
prosperity increases much faster than ours. They “prosper
in the world,” and “have
riches in possession” (Ps. 73:12). I could have much more of this
world’s goods if I had
spent the money on myself that I have given to the Church
over the decades. So could you. Don’t
we all wonder sometimes, is it worth it?
Or, in the words of Psalm 73, have I “cleansed
my heart in vain”? (Ps.
73:13). Like the Psalmist, we will be confused by this until we seek the answer from God. We too must go into the sanctuary of God (vs. 17). In other words, look to the word of God. Listen to God’s answer as revealed in the Bible. Here is God’s answer. First, the wicked will answer to God. Deep in our hearts we all know we will give an answer to God one day. Everyone knows instinctively that the wicked are not getting away with anything. The wicked may think God doesn’t see what they do, or just doesn’t care (vs. 11). But there is knowledge in the Most High. He does know what they do. They’re not getting away with anything. They will come to a fearful end (vs. 19). Therefore, leave them to God. Don’t envy them. Charles Spurgeon told a story of a man leading a herd of hogs to the butcher shop. He was asked by another how he got the hogs to follow him. He said he had a bag of peas, and every now and then he dropped a few for the hogs. They followed him to get more. The riches of the ungodly are like those peas, leading them to their doom. Second, we are the ones who are blessed. That’s the first thing we need to imprint upon our minds as we go through life. As the Psalmist wrote, “Truly God is loving unto Israel; even unto such as are of a clean heart.” Israel here means more than simply the Old Testament nation. It refers to the people of God in both Old and New Testament eras. In fact, in a very real way, the New Testament Church is now the true Israel because it is in the Church that the promises of God to bring people into His love from all nations, all languages, all races, and all classes, begin to find their fulfillment. And truly God is loving to us. We don’t have the time to recount all of His blessings to us today. They are too numerous to count. Not until we reach the shores of Heaven, relieved of the necessities of working and resting and learning and living will we have the time to really ponder the amazing, wondrous glory of God we have enjoyed here in this life. But we can say we are rich in the things of this world. We live in air-conditioned houses, travel in luxury cars and planes, eat the finest foods, and sleep on cushioned beds. Never do we go to our rest at night wondering where we will get our meals for the next day. Never do we awake in the morning wondering where we will find rest that night. Billions of people in this world today would gladly trade places with us. Even greater are our blessings in Christ. Our sins are washed away. We have peace with God, purpose and meaning in life, hope in death, and a home in Heaven forever. If all the other blessings were taken from us, and we found ourselves homeless and hungry and sick and alone, we would still call ourselves rich beyond compare, for our Lord Himself said, “In my fathers house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again to receive you unto my self, that where I am, there ye may be also.” If we suffer the loss of all things, but keep this alone, we are wealthier than the richest tycoons and kings of earth. But the greatest jewel in Heaven is not the mansion or the crown, it is God Himself, and on earth there is nothing to compare with loving and being loved by Him. The Giver is greater than the gifts. Psalm 73 recognizes this, and states it well. “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire in comparison of thee” (Ps. 73:25). Doing God’s will is blessing in itself. His commandments are the way to peace and justice and happiness in this life. They are sweeter than honey comb, and more valuable than much fine gold. In keeping them there is great reward. Self indulgence is not the path to happiness. The will of God is the road to happiness. So we are the ones to be envied. We are the wealthy. We are the prosperous. We are the happy. This world and its riches will pass away, and no matter how much of it we control while we are here, life is short, and we soon give it over to others. But our real treasure is forever. “My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.” Thanks be to God. The Rev. Dr. R. Dennis Campbell, Vicar, Holy Trinity Anglican Church,
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