A Life Without God

Psalm 14

1  Fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is no one who does good.

2  The LORD looks down from heaven on humankind to see if there are any who are wise, who seek after God.

3  They have all gone astray, they are all alike perverse; there is no one who does good, no, not one.

      On the surface, this psalm seems directed against those openly denying the existence of God.  But, in fact, the principles articulated here have implications for everyone.

      What David learned was how easy it can be for anyone to forget about God and to go his own way.  And he learned the importance of focusing on God, placing Him first, seeking Him, trusting in Him, thinking about Him, and being guided by His principles.  These attitudes are the foundation for a life of blessing.

      This is true for everyone.  Yes, denying His existence leads to a life without His blessing, protection, and wisdom.  But even those who superficially believe in Him can act as if He does not exist.

      Without a consciousness of God, we can believe any argument.  When we stop focusing on Him, we can embrace any lifestyle.  We can drift into any belief system and develop our own interpretations of events.  We can follow any magnetic personality or be enticed by any clever-sounding teaching.

      The sure path is to stay focused on God.  To be committed to constant prayer, remembering that He is with us, all the time.  To be sensitive to His Spirit.  To live according to His Word.

      In your life, seek to have a more intimate relationship with God. Read and study His Word.  Spend time in prayer.  Commit the issues of your life to Him.

 

Never Ashamed

 Psalm 31:1

      “In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.”

       David was concerned about being ashamed.  We might assume he was thinking about sins or questionable actions.  But David displayed another perspective.

       The Hebrew word here suggests being disappointed.  He thought he had not trusted God completely.  He thought he had set a bad example that others might follow.

       David used the same word to declare how he took refuge in God, knowing He would “put to shame” those who opposed him” (Psalm 14:6).  David used this word four times in Psalm 25, confirming that he trusted in God, praying that he would not be ashamed.

       In Psalm 31, David was concerned with his response to opposition.  The shame was possible if he reacted in the wrong way.  His cry was, “Let me never be ashamed.” Ultimately, David knew that he would not feel shame because he took refuge in the Lord.  He was David’s “fortress” and his “rock of strength” (v. 3-4).  He prayed instead, “Let the wicked be put to shame” (v. 17).

       We might feel ashamed in many ways.  But, as David discovered, we can feel shame if we react to problems with fear and worry rather than faith or when we realize others might follow our example and drift away from Him.

       Today, make sure that you trust in Him.  Be confident in Him and an example of faith to others, so you will not feel ashamed.

A Flourishing Tree

Proverbs 11:28

      “He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.”

      I’ve always had a collector’s heart.  As a kid, I collected stamps.  Baseball cards.  Comics.  Now, as an adult, I tend to collect knives, books western movies on DVD.  Sometimes I wonder, do I really need another knife or book?

      Of course, it’s not about need.  It’s about the childlike thrill of getting something new.  Or sometimes the satisfaction of getting something old, something rare.  Whatever captivates our imagination, we’re tempted to believe that if we only had “X,” our lives would be better.  We’d be happy.  Content.

      Except those things never deliver the goods.  Why?  Because God created us to be filled by Him, not by the things that the world around us often insists will satisfy our longing hearts.  There is a vacuum filled void deep within our hearts that causes us to search for something to fill it with and so, we tend to keep searching, gathering, collecting.

This feeling is hardly new.  Proverbs contrasts two ways of life: a life spent pursuing riches versus a life grounded in loving God and giving generously.  In The Message, Eugene Peterson paraphrases Proverbs 11:28 like this: “A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump; a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree.”

      What a picture!  Two ways of life: one flourishing and fruitful, one hollow and barren.  The world insists that material abundance equals “the good life.”  In contrast, God invites us to be rooted in Him, to experience His goodness, and to flourish fruitfully.  And as we’re shaped by our relationship with Him, God reshapes our hearts and desires, transforming us from the inside out.