It ’ s Not Fair !
Psalm 73:25
Tuesday , January 2nd
Do you ever look at the lives of unbelievers and get a little , maybe even a lot , resentful ? “ Why do they get to live in beautiful mansions , and I live in a cramped little house ? How come they always have more than enough money , and I can barely stay ahead of my bills ? Why do they always look healthy and handsome and beautiful , and I always seem to have all sorts of health issues ?”
You ’ re not alone in those feelings . A believer by the name of Asaph in the Bible had those same emotions . He wrote a Psalm about it , Psalm 73 . Asaph was a church musician . He had heard often in church that God is good to his people . But then he went out in the real world , and he saw just the opposite . God seems to pour out good things on unbelievers , he thought , while he lets his own children struggle and suffer .
Asaph ’ s complaint against God is one we ’ ve all felt . Why does God allow guilty criminals to get out on parole and live free and easy ? Why does he allow dictators to flaunt their evil ? Why do terrorists get away with murder ?
Asaph did the right thing with his doubts . He went again to the “ sanctuary of God ,” the church . This time he listened more intently to God ’ s Word . There in God ’ s Word he learned that God really does punish unbelievers . Criminals suffer with a guilty conscience the rest of their lives , always wondering when God will catch up to them . Dictators are eventually overthrown . Terrorists get caught or die by violence themselves . Even if unbelievers don ’ t get caught in this life , they will suffer a terrible end - separated from God ’ s love forever in hell , where even a drop of water will bring them immense relief ( Luke 16:24 ).
We have something far better than the riches and fun of unbelievers . Our greatest treasure is God himself . We have God ’ s own Son Jesus . There is nothing on earth that can even remotely compare to Jesus . We have forgiveness of all our sins . We have peace in our conscience every moment that since we are forgiven , God is making all things work in our life for our eventual good . We have treasures laid up for us in heaven that are indescribable .
When we are tempted to doubt God ’ s goodness and fairness , let ’ s look beyond this world to the real world to come . Then in this broken world , God will give us out of this world peace . Amen .
Prayer : Dear Jesus , whenever I envy others , remind me that you died and rose again to give me heaven . Amen .
Activity : Everyone honestly admit something you see others have that you wish you had . Discuss how long that thing lasts . Talk about something you have in Jesus that is far better .
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