THANKFUL

Chatting with Jesus

Tuesday, July 18, 2023

Lord, despite your assurance to the psalmist that you will deal with the wicked your way, in his humanity, he still tended to fret. You told him to just back off, focus on you and your goodness, and watch you release your righteous judgment on the wicked. You would let him know if you needed him to intervene. Finally, he got the picture and recorded his revelation for the generations to come.

O Lord, that I may get the picture and consistently live by these truths.

“Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither.”—Psalm 37:1, 2 (NLT)

Lord, you see our righteous indignation when the wicked “prosper” in their evil ways, but then you prove the psalmist’s words are true. Over thousands of years you have dealt with the wicked your way to bring them to ruin.

They might prosper financially, but we have a peace they want but cannot buy. We have seen it time and again. You may allow the wicked to thrive in the spotlight for a while, but they fade away and their memory forgotten until we read their obituary.

“Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.”—Psalm 37: 3, 4 (NLT)

Lord, help us stay focused. How easily we get tangled up fretting over the corruption of the wicked. You teach us to be different.

*Trust you amid all this wickedness.

*Live by your values

*Practice your precepts.

*Do good to all.

*Live by these truths to love our neighbors as ourselves.

When we do life your way, Lord, we will live sheltered by your grace and “prosper” in your ways.

Amen, Jesus.