Those Who Fear the LORD

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
1      Praise the LORD.

        Blessed are those who fear the LORD,
           who find great delight in his commands.

2      Their children will be mighty in the land;
           the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3      Wealth and riches are in their houses,
           and their righteousness endures forever.
4      Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
           for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.
5      Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,
           who conduct their affairs with justice.

6      Surely the righteous will never be shaken;
           they will be remembered forever.
7      They will have no fear of bad news;
           their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
8      Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;
           in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
9      They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,
           their righteousness endures forever;
           their horn will be lifted high in honor.

10     The wicked will see and be vexed,
           they will gnash their teeth and waste away;
           the longings of the wicked will come to nothing. (Psalm 112:1-10, NIV)


REFLECTIONS:
The theme of righteousness continues in this psalm of celebration. The truly happy—the blessed—are those who delight in God, setting a good example throughout the day. 

Who is truly secure? Those who conduct their affairs with justice and who give generously to the poor—these are the people who are truly at peace. When evil things happen, those who are righteous do not give in to fear because “their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD” (verse 7).

Does the psalmist promise too much when he suggests that “wealth and riches” (verse 3) will follow such a life of integrity? It certainly doesn’t always happen. We know situations in which kind and generous people fail to achieve material success. Yet if people love God, work for justice, and give generously to others, are they not already rich? 

Periodically, I will get on the website for Voice of the Martyrs, to read the stories of the men and women suffering for Christ around the world. Their stories both inspire and challenge me to grow in my faith. Here in America, we enjoy such incredible financial prosperity and peace that we (and I'm speaking generally) into grow slack in our faith. Although we enjoy incredible freedoms—including the freedom to gather and worship without interference from our government—we tend to sort of loaf, to casually walk through life, dabbling in faith and religion as we go. Our schedules are so packed with activities (many of them frivolous) that we rarely have time to worship or serve the Lord. Yet, when I read the stories of the men and women on the far side of the global, who endure incredible hardship and trial because of their faith, I am challenged to draw near Christ. These men and women, many of whom are poor and uneducated, possess a spiritual vitality that shames the majority of us in our comfortable American lifestyles.

We complain about frivolous little things, such as the weather or the style of music being played. They are willing to walk for days to attend a Christian prayer gathering. We moan and groan about petty little things like the lack of competitiveness in the Super Bowl or the dysfunction in Washington DC. Though hunted by their governments and forced to gather in secret, they lift their spirits and worship with joyful singing. We look through our closets full of clothes and complain about not having anything to wear. They possess nothing except the clothes on their back, yet they remain joyful and thankful for God's provision.

Rather than staying wrapped up in our First World Problems, I pray that God will enable us to lift up our eyes to see his glory and goodness all around us. May he remind us that true wealth comes in right relationships with our families and our neighbors. Happiness comes when we lay our whole life before God, including our pocketbooks. Through the inspirational stories of the suffering church, and through the inspiration and empowerment of God's Spirit, may we came to see more clearly what it means to live a righteous life. 


PRAYER:
O God, help me to live more joyfully and with less fear. Strengthen me to trust you with my whole life—to take you at your word and to delight in your commands. Amen.


WHO AM I?
I am Tres Sansom, and I apologize for the downer of a devotional. I don't mean to be critical or judgmental anyone's faith. I'm speaking primarily from a first-person point of view. But, I can't help but notice the sharp differences between the faith of those of us in the West and our brothers and sisters around the world.