WBC Daily Devotions May 9-13, 2011 CORRECTION

Daily Devotionals for May 9-13

On Sunday, May 15, Pastor Jeff Walser will address the subject of God's present help to those who struggle with a loved one who has walked away from God. In preparation for that message, we invite you to turn with us once again to the Psalms. We thank Afton Rorvik, an accomplished author and editor who has attended Wheaton Bible Church since 2006, for preparing this week's devotional thoughts focusing on Psalm 37.

MONDAY, MAY 9

1Do not fret because of those who are evil

or be envious of those who do wrong;

2for like the grass they will soon wither,

like green plants they will soon die away.

3Trust in the LORD and do good;

dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

4Take delight in the LORD,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5Commit your way to the LORD;

trust in him and he will do this:

6He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,

your vindication like the noonday sun.

7Be still before the LORD

and wait patiently for him;

do not fret when people succeed in their ways,

when they carry out their wicked schemes.

8Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;

do not fret -- it leads only to evil.

9For those who are evil will be destroyed,

but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

10A little while, and the wicked will be no more;

though you look for them, they will not be found.

11But the meek will inherit the land

and enjoy peace and prosperity.

We all know someone -- a friend, co-worker, sibling, parent, or child -- who has chosen to walk away from God. Some of these people started out strong, loving the Lord and His people, eager to live for Him and tell others about Him. Then something side-swiped their faith, a relationship, a financial setback, illness, depression. . . . For others, faith in God never moved beyond an intellectual assent to a personal, live-giving, daily way of life. For them walking away from God happened one step at a time over many years. Some drift from God; others run. The result, however, is always the same -- lostness. And for those of us who deeply love these lost people, our days become filled with the pain of longing for our loved one to return to God. Perhaps our pain is even more intense because we remember our own days of "lostness."

In these first 11 verses of Psalm 37, David reminds us to set our focus on God: "Trust in the LORD. . . ." (verse 3), "Take delight in the LORD. . . . (verse 4), "Commit your way [everything you do] to the LORD."

How easy it is to focus instead on the issues connected with our lost loved one, gnawing them over and over as a dog does a bone. We fret. And sometimes our fretting comes bubbling out in angry words.

Verse 7 in The Message, speaks a word of hope to we who fret. "Quiet down before GOD," it tells us, "be prayerful before him."

How wonderful that we can talk to God at all times about all things. And we can know that just as our heart breaks for our lost loved one, so does His. He wants to walk with us on this journey, and He wants to draw these lost ones back to Himself.

Do you have a loved one who is far from God? Commit this week to pray daily for that person.

Father,
Thank you for saving me when I was lost and drawing me into your loving father-arms. How I long to see the lost ones in my life know the joy of your love. Please give me the courage, compassion, and faith I need for this journey as I walk with my lost loved ones.
Amen

TUESDAY, MAY 10

Today we are turning to Psalm 37:12-20. The text below is taken from The Message paraphrase, but feel free to refer to the Bible translation of your choice.

12-13Bad guys have it in for the good guys,

obsessed with doing them in.

But God isn't losing any sleep; to him

they're a joke with no punch line.

14-15Bullies brandish their swords,

pull back on their bows with a flourish.

They're out to beat up on the harmless,

or mug that nice man out walking his dog.

A banana peel lands them flat on their faces -- slapstick figures in a moral circus.

16-17Less is more and more is less.

One righteous will outclass fifty wicked,

For the wicked are moral weaklings

but the righteous are GOD-strong.

18-19GOD keeps track of the decent folk;

what they do won't soon be forgotten.

In hard times, they'll hold their heads high;

when the shelves are bare, they'll be full.

20God-despisers have had it;

GOD's enemies are finished --

Stripped bare like vineyards at harvest time,

vanished like smoke in thin air.

In this next section of Psalm 37, David spends a lot of time focusing on the contrast between the evil-doer and the person who fears God. Darkness and light. Lost and found.

The Message says it this way in verses 12-13: "Bad guys have it in for the good guys, obsessed with doing them in. But God isn't losing any sleep; to him they're a joke with no punch line."

When we are wrestling through a difficult people-related issue, particularly with someone who is not a Christ-follower, we can often feel under attack. What a good reminder David gives us in this Psalm that ultimately God and His people will triumph. Light will conquer darkness.

The Message goes on to say in verse 17, "For the wicked are moral weaklings, but the righteous are God-strong."

God-strong! We who have put our faith and trust in God can be strong no matter what we face, including difficult people or loved ones who are lost.

What present situation in your life seems poised to overwhelm you? Spend some time in prayer today asking God to help you see His perspective on the situation.

Father,
Thank you for taking care of me as your child. Thank you for bringing me out of darkness and teaching me how to follow you. Thank you for reminding me that ultimately You win. Nothing in this world is too big or too dark for you. Help me to be God-strong, especially in the dark times.
Amen.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11

Today we are reading Psalm 37:21-31in the New Living Translation:

21The wicked borrow and never repay,

but the godly are generous givers.

22Those the LORD blesses will possess the land, but those he curses will die.

23The LORD directs the steps of the godly.

He delights in every detail of their lives.

24Though they stumble, they will never fall,

for the LORD holds them by the hand.

25Once I was young, and now I am old.

Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread.

26The godly always give generous loans to others, and their children are a blessing.

27Turn from evil and do good,

and you will live in the land forever.

28For the LORD loves justice,

and he will never abandon the godly.

He will keep them safe forever,

but the children of the wicked will die.

29The godly will possess the land

and will live there forever.

30The godly offer good counsel;

they teach right from wrong.

31They have made God's law their own,

so they will never slip from his path.

Throughout this section of Psalm 37 David uses the phrase, "the godly." He reminds us that "the godly" will receive God's direction and strength. He also says emphatically that God will never abandon the godly. Verse 23 reminds us: "The LORD directs the steps of the godly, He delights in every detail of their lives."

Now that is a promise that offers hope! As we struggle to live with and reach the lost loved ones in our lives, we can be assured that God will give us guidance. We can also be assured that our loving, heavenly Father welcomes our detailed conversations with Him about this and any other difficult situation. And as we learn to be honest with Him perhaps we also become more honest with ourselves.

In this portion of Psalm 37, David also talks about how "the godly" give back. They are generous and offer good counsel. Certainly, this reminds us who love and follow Jesus to share with others our money or possessions, but it also reminds us to give of ourselves, sharing with others what we've learned from God's Word in the ups and downs of daily life.

Walking through difficult times, such as living with a child who has turned away from God, may make us feel as though we just want to withdraw from other believers. And yet, what kind of counsel might a godly, trustworthy friend be able to bring us?

Take a few moments to think about these questions: Do I have godly counsel in my life, especially during the dark times? Is God calling me to become godly counsel to someone else in a dark time?

Father,
Thank you for promising me that because I love you, you hold me by the hand. As I walk through difficult situations, I will certainly take a few missteps and stumble, but You will pull me up and help me keep walking. What a comfort that is!
Amen

THURSDAY, MAY 12

32The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,

intent on putting them to death;

33but the LORD will not leave them in the power of the wicked or let them be condemned when brought to trial.

34Hope in the LORD

and keep his way.

He will exalt you to inherit the land;

when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.

35I have seen a wicked and ruthless man

flourishing like a luxuriant native tree,

36but he soon passed away and was no more;

though I looked for him, he could not be found.

37Consider the blameless, observe the upright;

a future awaits those who seek peace.[a]

38But all sinners will be destroyed;

there will be no future for the wicked.

39The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;

he is their stronghold in time of trouble.

40The LORD helps them and delivers them;

he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

David ends this Psalm by reaffirming God's strength and protection for those in times of trouble. It is interesting that he doesn't say, "Those who love God and seek to live for Him will never experience stress or trouble." He seems, rather, to assume that difficulty will be a part of life -- even for the righteous.

David reminds us, however, that God will do His part when we face trouble -- help, deliver, save. Our part is to take refuge in God.

That word, refuge, implies a hunkering-down-waiting-out-the-storm sort of mentality, not a run-away-as-fast-as-you-can-and-outrun-the-storm approach. When we face trouble, whether it is the sorrow of a loved one who has wandered from God, health issues, financial issues, depression, or all of the above, we can find a safe place to weather the storms in God's loving arms.

God becomes a fortress for us as we pray and read God's Word, letting God remind us daily of His ever-present love for us and that He will ultimately triumph over any sort of evil.

Spend a few minutes thinking about what keeps you from seeking refuge in God during times of storms? How can you change that pattern?

Father,
Thank you for being my Refuge, my Safe Place in the midst of storms. When I want to run from difficulty, remind me first to come to You.
Amen

FRIDAY, MAY 13

As we prepare our hearts for Sunday's message, we are reading today through all of Psalm 37. The text below is taken from The Message paraphrase, but feel free to read from the translation of your choice.

1-2Don't bother your head with braggarts or wish you could succeed like the wicked.

In no time they'll shrivel like grass clippings

and wilt like cut flowers in the sun.

3-4Get insurance with GOD and do a good deed,

settle down and stick to your last.

Keep company with GOD,

get in on the best.

5-6Open up before GOD, keep nothing back;

he'll do whatever needs to be done:

He'll validate your life in the clear light of day

and stamp you with approval at high noon.

7Quiet down before GOD,

be prayerful before him.

Don't bother with those who climb the ladder,

who elbow their way to the top.

8-9Bridle your anger, trash your wrath,

cool your pipes -- it only makes things worse.

Before long the crooks will be bankrupt;

GOD-investors will soon own the store.

10-11Before you know it, the wicked will have had it; you'll stare at his once famous place and -- nothing!

Down-to-earth people will move in and take over, relishing a huge bonanza.

12-13Bad guys have it in for the good guys,

obsessed with doing them in.

But God isn't losing any sleep; to him

they're a joke with no punch line.

14-15Bullies brandish their swords,

pull back on their bows with a flourish.

They're out to beat up on the harmless,

or mug that nice man out walking his dog.

A banana peel lands them flat on their faces -- slapstick figures in a moral circus.

16-17Less is more and more is less.

One righteous will outclass fifty wicked,

For the wicked are moral weaklings

but the righteous are GOD-strong.

18-19GOD keeps track of the decent folk;

what they do won't soon be forgotten.

In hard times, they'll hold their heads high;

when the shelves are bare, they'll be full.

20God-despisers have had it;

GOD's enemies are finished --

Stripped bare like vineyards at harvest time,

vanished like smoke in thin air.

21-22Wicked borrows and never returns;

Righteous gives and gives.

Generous gets it all in the end;

Stingy is cut off at the pass.

23-24Stalwart walks in step with GOD;

his path blazed by GOD, he's happy.

If he stumbles, he's not down for long;

GOD has a grip on his hand.

25-26I once was young, now I'm a graybeard --

not once have I seen an abandoned believer,

or his kids out roaming the streets.

Every day he's out giving and lending,

his children making him proud.

27-28Turn your back on evil,

work for the good and don't quit.

GOD loves this kind of thing,

never turns away from his friends.

28-29Live this way and you've got it made,

but bad eggs will be tossed out.

The good get planted on good land

and put down healthy roots.

30-31Righteous chews on wisdom like a dog on a bone,

rolls virtue around on his tongue.

His heart pumps God's Word like blood through his veins;

his feet are as sure as a cat's.

32-33Wicked sets a watch for Righteous,

he's out for the kill.

GOD, alert, is also on watch --

Wicked won't hurt a hair of his head.

34Wait passionately for GOD,

don't leave the path.

He'll give you your place in the sun

while you watch the wicked lose it.

35-36I saw Wicked bloated like a toad,

croaking pretentious nonsense.

The next time I looked there was nothing --

a punc tured bladder, vapid and limp.

37-38Keep your eye on the healthy soul,

scrutinize the straight life;

There's a future in strenuous wholeness.

But the willful will soon be discarded;

insolent souls are on a dead-end street.

39-40The spacious, free life is from GOD,

it's also protected and safe.

GOD-strengthened, we're delivered from evil --

when we run to him, he saves us.

These final four verses of Psalm 37 give us a picture -- a prayer target -- for loved ones who are away from God: that God would do such an amazing work in their lives that they would be "healthy souls," examples to others as those who live "the straight life" (verse 37) -- what the NIV translates as "the upright," who have discovered a future in "strenuous" wholeness.

Verses 39 and 40 add to our vision, as we prayerfully imagine loved ones -- who now number among the "willful" and "insolent souls" who are "on a dead-end street" (verse 38) -- as those who have discovered "the spacious, free life" that is from God, "protected and safe," "God-strengthened," "delivered from evil," and "running to him" for salvation.

Take a few moments to think back to how God welcomed you into His loving arms. Remember the time and the place, and the people who helped to move you toward God.

Ask God to help you walk through life with your lost loved ones so that they too might "run to Him" and experience the welcome of a waiting, loving Heavenly Father.

Father,
Thank you being the loving Father who welcomes us home when we see our sin and come back to you. Help us to be the kind of people, the kind of church, who are eager and ready to welcome back those who have wandered away from you.
Amen