June 28, 2010 (Various Psalms)

Well, it's been a while since blogging. I've been in CA, and although while there I don't think I missed a day of reading, I missed about every day of blogging. So I won't go back, but will go on from here. I love vacations, but I hate vacations. I'm a 'creature of habit'. I need my 'routines'. I am glad to be home. I am glad to be back at church. I am glad to be back into the routine. I also realize how easy it is to get 'sucked into the ways of the world'. I feel like I'm still coming out of a 'funk' that I got into. I wanted to go to CA and be a witness for Christ. But I think I went into the trip being tired with a loss of focus, and the trip never materialized into me being the example for Christ that I wanted to be. I seemed to be 'just like everyone else'. I know that riches and prosperity in the material world account for nothing, and yet it was so easy to 'partake' of that life. I found it interesting that today's reading encompassed those two dynamics. The first part pertains to 'worldly riches', while the last part pertains to having an eternal perspective with 'eternal riches':

The Fate of Those Without Christ:

^{Psalm 49:10} Those who are wise must finally die,
just like the foolish and senseless,
leaving all their wealth behind.
¹¹ The grave is their eternal home,
where they will stay forever.
They may name their estates after themselves,
¹² but their fame will not last.
They will die, just like animals.
¹³ This is the fate of fools,
though they are remembered as being wise.

¹⁴ Like sheep, they are led to the grave,
where death will be their shepherd.
In the morning the godly will rule over them.
Their bodies will rot in the grave,
far from their grand estates.
¹⁵ But as for me, God will redeem my life.
He will snatch me from the power of the grave.

¹⁶ So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich
and their homes become ever more splendid.
¹⁷ For when they die, they take nothing with them.
Their wealth will not follow them into the grave.
¹⁸ In this life they consider themselves fortunate
and are applauded for their success.
¹⁹ But they will die like all before them
and never again see the light of day.
²⁰ People who boast of their wealth don’t understand;
they will die, just like animals.

Reflecting Upon the True Meaning of Life

^{Psalm 73:16 So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper.}

^{But what a difficult task it is!}

¹⁷ Then I went into your sanctuary, O God,
and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.
¹⁸ Truly, you put them on a slippery path
and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.
¹⁹ In an instant they are destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors.
²⁰ When you arise, O Lord,
you will laugh at their silly ideas
as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.

²¹ Then I realized that my heart was bitter,
and I was all torn up inside.
²² I was so foolish and ignorant—
I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
²³ Yet I still belong to you;
you hold my right hand.
²⁴ You guide me with your counsel,
leading me to a glorious destiny.
²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?
I desire you more than anything on earth.
²⁶ My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
he is mine forever.

²⁷ Those who desert him will perish,
for you destroy those who abandon you.
²⁸ But as for me, how good it is to be near God!
I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter,
and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.