It is good to be near God
Sam 73
Introduction
In 2003, Idi Amin Dada, the notorious Ugandan dictator died. During his tenure as the ‘all-in-all’ of everything in Uganda from 1971 to 1979, more than 500,000 people were killed. Like him, Pol Pot (Saloth Sar) of Cambodia was either directly or indirectly responsible for the death of more than 2,000,000 people during his rule from 1963 to 1981. Some estimated that roughly 15% of Cambodians were killed during the rule of the Khmer Rouge under Pol Pot. Likewise, Josef Stalin, Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, Kim Jong Un, Genghis Khan and many others had also infamously ruled over people. These rulers and dictators, however, are reportedly said to have lived demure and peaceful lives.
Idi Amin died in Saudi Arabia, surrounded by his family. Pol Pot died in his sleep, of a heart attack. Josef Stalin, whose reign/authoritarianism caused the death of about 10,000,000 Russians and other dissenters, also died of a heart attack, not at the hands of others. Kim Il Sung, his son, Kim Jong Il, who had ruled over North Korea with their iron hands also died ‘peacefully’ of heart failures. Genghis Khan, the Mongol who had ravaged most of Central Asia and other parts of the world is reported to have died either of some complications because of his fall from a horse or from some respiratory failure. Roughly, 40,000,000 people died during his marauding. There have been many others like them who had seemingly lived peacefully and died the same way they lived.
Man’s expectations and the problems thereof
Man expect such people to die horrible deaths. We expect some sort of a tit-for-tat thing that will happen to everyone. Even the meekest of people would expect at least some misfortune to befall upon someone who had been harsh to them.
Even among us, there will be some who others consider to be ‘bad’ or problematic at the least. But when we see them getting even more arrogant while continuously rising up the echelon of authority and wealth, many of us tend to become worried and frustrated with what we are and what we do. Often, we would say, “all my efforts to obey the rules and be a good person has been in vain!” Consequently, we find ourselves, often than not, full of imaginary holes fired from our own imaginary guns.
Asaph’s quandary
Asaph, the author of Psalm 73 was also in a deep quandary when he saw evil flourishing. Because of this, he said, “My feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped.”
Why?
“For I was envious of the arrogant; I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For they have no pain; their bodies are sound and sleek. They are not in trouble as others are; they are not plagued like other people. Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them like a garment. Their eyes swell out with fatness; their hearts overflow with follies. They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression. They set their mouths against heaven, and their tongues range over the earth. Therefore the people turn and praise them, and find no fault in them. And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?” Such are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches” (Ps. 73:3-12).
Because of this, Asaph said, “All in vain I have kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence”(Ps. 73:13). “It (is)… a wearisome task” (Ps. 73:16).
It must have been difficult.
Asaph’s understanding
Asaph did not understand all these that he saw in the beginning. But this was so, until he went into the sanctuary of God (Ps. 73:17). Then, he perceived their end and began to understand. Now he knows that the wicked are standing on slippery places (v. 18), and they are only like dreams (v. 20). As for himself, he saw they he was stupid and ignorant (v. 22), but that the Lord had been holding his right hand constantly (v. 23), and is guiding him with his counsel (v. 24).
From this, Asaph had come to realise that the best thing for him is to be near God (v. 28) as he alone can guide and protect him.
What about us?
What about us? How do we feel when we see the eyes of the wicked swell with fatness? Do we stumble and fall? Do we think that all our efforts have been in vain? Do we say, “let me do what is best in my interest”?
Let us think like Asaph did. All the riches and glitters of the world are not our raison d’être. In fact, God’s everlasting presence and guidance is the centre of our lives. Indeed, the wicked are on slippery places, and they will fall.
This world is not our home, we’re just passing through. Let us look beyond the worries of the world today. Problems often spring up when we see this world as our home.
Even when others might do things that are wicked, we cannot. GD Watson, in his Living Words had a short, but beautiful writing titled, “Others May, But You Cannot.” He wrote:
“If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 16:24-25
If God has called you to be truly like Jesus — He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility. He will put on you such demands of obedience, that you will not be allowed to follow other Christians. In many ways, He seems to let other believers do things which He will not let you do.
Others who seem to be very religious and useful, may push themselves up to be admired, and scheme to carry out their plans — but you cannot. If you attempt it — you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.
Others can brag about themselves, their work, their successes — but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing. If you begin to do so — He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.
Others will be allowed to succeed in making great sums of money, or in having a legacy left to them, or in having luxuries — but God may supply you only on a day-to-day basis, because He wants you to have something far better than gold — a helpless dependence on Him and His unseen treasury.
The Lord may let others be honored and put forward — while keeping you hidden in obscurity, because He wants to produce some choice, fragrant fruit in you, which can only be produced in the shade.
God may let others be great — but He will keep you small. He will let others do a work for Him and get the credit — but He will make you work and toil without others knowing how much you are doing. Then, to make your work still more precious, He will let others get the credit for the work which you have done. This to teach you the message of the Cross and humility.
The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch on you, and with a jealous love rebuke you for careless words and feelings, or for wasting your time — which other Christians never seem distressed over.
So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign and has a right to do as He pleases with His own — and that He may not explain to you a thousand things which may puzzle your reason in His dealings with you.
If you absolutely give yourself to be His slave, He will wrap you up in a jealous love and let other Christian people say and do many things which you cannot.
However, know this great secret of the Kingdom: When you are so completely possessed with the living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this peculiar, personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life — then you will have found the vestibule of Heaven, the high calling of God.
As such, even when we see the faults of others, let us draw near to God.
- Asaph understood everything when he went into the sanctuary of God. Let us also seek God’s presence even when others may not.
- When we seek God, we will understand him more and feel more secure as he is always holding our right hands.
- It is not ours to take revenge. It belongs to the Lord (Dt. 32:35; Rom. 12:19).
- Let us not dwell too much on our circumstances, but look beyond them to hear the gentle sweet voice of our Lord.
- It is always better to wait upon the Lord (Ps. 27:14; 37:34; 130:5; Lam. 3:25; Mic. 7:7; Is. 40:31).
Conclusion
It is not only good for Asaph to be near God, it is also good for us to draw near the Lord our saviour in these troubled times.
