You know how it is.When one flips aimlessly through the bible out of a sense of duty, not really expecting to learn anything new.Then you get that divine experience ; caught off guard by some deep revolutionary insight.That's when Christianity comes alive, transcending creeds and dogmas,leading you to the very essence of Life itself.
It was all in Psalm 73. A Psalm so familiar that it held little expectations for me until i read the words of the Prophet Asaph again:
"But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men......
.......Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning."
Here's Asaph the Prophet.A devout man of God serving in the temple in all integrity, yet for a moment, he becomes envious of the "prosperity" of those who make a lifestyle of Godlessness.That sounds ironic doesn't it.I used to think Prophets weren't supposed to be concerned with material possessions.I was led to believe that they were meant to live like sacrificial lambs. If this true then why is he so concerned about the "prosperity of the wicked"? I think the answer can be found in these lines:
"They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men......For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning."
My understanding is that he felt cheated considering the fact that he was righteously serving God and the guys who seemed to be getting all the big breaks were the members of the "unrighteous club".Out of frustration he says,"Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency".Another version puts it this way," what then was the profit of my righteousness".In other words he was saying, "the rewards of my service to God shouldn't be short of what the unrighteous enjoy otherwise whats the use".
How many of us are willing to admit that we have sometimes felt shortchanged by life.Putting in so much in service to God, humanity and the church and having nothing but pennies to show for it.While those who broke all the rules and thought only of themselves seemed to be the only ones having all the fun.At times like that life seems so unfair.And just like the Prophet Asaph, we begin to wonder if we made the right decisions.Only a healthy mind can mull over such details.
To be sure that we are on the right path, it's necessary that we periodically evaluate and revevaluate the quality of our commitments and decisions. Once we arrive at the conclusion that our decisions and conclusions are solid, then we must evaluate our results.If we find that our results are not commensurate with our commitments and decisions, it is imperative that we ask ourselves where we've missed it. Its not just enough to know that you are on the right path.One needs to be certain that he is traveling the right way or else the destination might elude him.I think this is where most religious people miss it.God is always true and his instructions are always accurate.Do we truly understand His instructions or better still are the instructions we follow, truly from God (or do we assume they are?). We had better determine the right answer to these questions or we may wind up faithless and frustrated.
Prophet Asaph evaluated his decision and commitment and arrived at his own conclusions in the following verses:
"When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors......Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory."
He realizes that he a made the right decision.Though he was once envious of "the world" that the unrighteous had "gained", he thought it unprofitable to "lose his soul" in exchange.
The issues raised in this article deserve intense contemplation.After all, is it not the very reason that most Nigerians have lost faith in Integrity when they see corrupt leaders getting rich on public funds and having honorary titles conferred on them.Isnt this also the reason lots of christians get frustrated after faithfully following a "key points to prosperity" sermon and only to end up broke and disillusioned.
I believe God has placed within everyman a desire for growth and prosperity and also seeds of dissatisfaction which will begin to manifest when the former are absent.Then we will need to evaluate and reevaluate. That's what Psalm 73 has taught me.
-Dan Abia
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