October 7 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Psalm 73:1–14

Devotional

Asaph could not accept the fact that the wicked had prosperity and he himself had many troubles. “For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning,” he lamented. He was afraid to wake up in the morning, and thought, “What will happen today?” His wicked neighbor had a good life, while he, with all his piety, had sorrow. Asaph could not understand this and he did not agree with God. If he were in control, things would be different.

He rebelled against God. He wanted to be wiser than God but because of his unbelief he was foolish. Asaph says, “Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.” In other words, what profit or benefit is it to serve the Lord? Wouldn’t it be better to quit? Indeed, Asaph planned to forsake God. But later he says, “I was as a beast before thee.” Yes, then Asaph saw that he was wicked and foolish.

This example from Asaph’s life is typical of what can happen in our daily lives. Is it not true that many things can happen in our lives wherein we say that we would have done it differently?

There is, for example, a young father with small children standing at the grave of a dear wife and mother whom they considered indispensable. Why all this sorrow?

Or there are godly parents, beseeching the Lord to spare their critically ill child. That child dies. The children of the wicked grow up. Who would expect this?

When seeming injustices cause you personal sorrow, then you have your own questions and your own cross. It is not hard to speak of another person’s sorrow and say it was God’s will. But how do you react to your own sorrow? When a dearest loved one is buried or when you have a serious sickness, how do you react to this? When you must carry a cross of hidden sorrow, how do you respond? When you have a thorn in the flesh which will stay with you till the end, how do you deal with your struggle? In all these crooked ways you would deal differently, and in your eyes better, and with greater wisdom than God.

In seeing the troubles of others you can often have answers. But when sorrow hits your own life, do you still have answers? Even God’s children can be without answers. Asaph had no answers in his own turmoil. Who among you fares better than Asaph? Asaph was a child of God. He looked at the wicked and begrudged their prosperity. Even a child of God can be foolish enough to be angry with God because he does not agree with Him.

When Asaph was led to the sanctuary he observed the holiness of the Lord’s ways. Then he was led to admire and adore God’s wisdom in His incomprehensible ways. Asaph saw that divine providence has no shortcomings. This does not mean that God explains all crooked ways to His child, for on earth there are many things that remain veiled in God’s hidden will.

How many of God’s children die bearing a cross they could not comprehend? Yet, it is not of utmost importance that they understand God’s ways. Even if they never receive an answer to their questions, as long as they, in faith, rest in God, then it is well. Faith transcends knowledge. Faith never thinks ill of God. Faith commits all to God, and therefore one’s will is submissive to God’s will. This faith draws nigh to God in sorrow. Faith is satisfied with God. Faith can even rejoice in sorrow and can sing psalms in the night with Paul and Silas. For where God is found, there it is good.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.