It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
who conducts his affairs with justice.
For the righteous will never be moved;
he will be remembered forever.
He is not afraid of bad news;
his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
Psalm 112:5-7 (ESV)
Hope in Uncertain Times
Since I have been an adult, the world seems more and more uncertain with every passing day. Things I would have said were impossible are suddenly commonplace. Some days everything appears to be topsy turvy.
Follow God’s Protocols
When I came across Psalm 112 in my bible, I found reassurance and hope. When we follow the Lord’s leading and Word, we don’t have to fear. Not just do we have no need to fear, but when we follow God’s protocols result in us being filled with joy.
Verse 1 in Psalm 112 says,
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments!
Esher
The Hebrew word blessed is esher, which means ‘how happy’ or ‘full of happiness’.
Hope. Not only for us but for our kids too. Verse 2 tells us:
His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Provision
God will provide for our financial needs. Verse 3:
Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
Our righteousness endures forever because we are not the source of our own righteous. God cloaks us in His own righteousness because of the work of His Son on the cross. Because it is God’s righteousness, it lasts for eternity.
Light Dawns
When the world is at its darkest, there is sunrise in the life of the Christ-centered believer.
Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous. (Psalm 112:4)
What does the blessed and happy Christ-follower’s life look like?
It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
who conducts his affairs with justice.
For the righteous will never be moved;
he will be remembered forever.
He is not afraid of bad news;
his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,
until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever;
his horn is exalted in honor.
The wicked man sees it and is angry;
he gnashes his teeth and melts away;
the desire of the wicked will perish!
Psalm 112:5-9 (ESV)
I want to be like that
I want to be this kind of Christian. I want to deal generously with people. I want to stand firm in the truths of God’s word and never be moved from His presence. I don’t want to be fazed by bad news because of my supreme trust in the Lord.
With a steady heart, I want to be the one who gives freely to the poor, helping those in need.
Playing to Win
I like to win. Who doesn’t?
Growing up, I could hardly ever find anyone to play board games with me because I would play aggressively to win. Some opponents might have said I was “out for blood”. 🙂 When I met my husband in college, we had to ban certain games because we were both so competitive.
Not my enemy
Sometimes that attitude can carry over into real life. When you believe strongly in something, it is easy to see someone who strongly disagrees with you as an adversary.
But the bible says that people who have a different opinion are not my enemy. Even if that opinion is in opposition to God’s Word.
Our Real Enemy
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:12 (ESV)
The real enemy is the Prince of Darkness himself, spiritual forces rather than men and women who are blinded by his lies and deceived by his trickery.
Untroubled by Uncertainty
The truly wicked are frustrated by a life of true righteousness. The blinded and deceived are often drawn to a life of righteousness walked out in love and generosity. A life of happiness, without fear and untroubled by uncertainty.
Remembered Forever
That kind of life will be remembered forever according to Psalm 112:6.
Hope in uncertain times. Hope in the face of bad news. Hope and happiness because I trust in the Lord. The Lord is completely worthy of our trust and hope. He is not disturbed by or uncertain of the future.
Things are not perfect here
This world is not heaven. There is a real enemy who causes real problems in our world. Things are not perfect right now. There will be days when bad news comes.
When the problems arise, what will our response be? Will we be shaken or unshakable? Will we be shattered or unbreakable? Will we despair or hope in our Lord?
Unshakeable, unbreakable hope
I choose unshakable, unbreakable hope. I choose to believe in the Lord who has dealt so faithfully and mercifully with me. When I have been unworthy and undeserving, He has poured out His love to me.
Action Step:
Think of an opportunity today deal generously and give freely. Maybe it is your time, your money, a handmade card, a compliment…there are many ways to bless someone. Plan for it right now. When a problem comes up in your day, use it as an opportunity to exercise your trust in the Lord, thanking Him that He was not surprised and already has the answer.
Prayer:
God, strengthen our hearts and firm up our trust in You. Help us to see opportunities to walk in righteousness, deal generously with others, and conduct our affairs with justice. You are just and trustworthy God, full of mercy and generously forgiving, and we want to be more like You. In Jesus’ name, amen.