Reading: Psalm 37:1-9
Do not fret because of the wicked;
do not be envious of wrongdoers,
for they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.
Trust in the Lord and do good;
live in the land and enjoy security.
Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
He will make your vindication shine like the light
and the justice of your cause like the noonday.
Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him;
do not fret over those who prosper in their way,
over those who carry out evil devices.
Refrain from anger and forsake wrath.
Do not fret—it leads only to evil.
For the wicked shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
Reflection
I don’t know about you, but patience is not one of my strengths. Especially as I think about the terrible things going on in the world. How long do we have to put up with the lies from corrupt politicians? Put them behind bars now! How long do we have to watch people suffer from the war in Ukraine? Can’t we just take out Putin and put this craziness to an end….NOW! Or, what about all this crazy weather we see; hurricanes, draughts, wild fires; more powerful than ever, predominantly a result of increased temperatures due to climate change. Most scientists tell us that this is caused mainly due to increased level of greenhouse gases, caused by human activities, such as burning oil and fossil fuels, in our homes, in our cars, in our factories. Profit and bottom-line earnings for oil companies and large corporations often takes precedence over caring for the environment and God’s creation. I am with Greta Thunberg. This has to stop NOW!
I could go on and on. The world is filled with wrongdoings and wickedness, and we are tired of it. Or perhaps we have just given up, thinking there is no use to even care anymore. It is easy to forget the promises of God, that there will be a new day, there will be a day of justice, when things are made right again, for in the end, God is the one in charge.
“Trust in the Lord and do good,” the psalmist writes. God calls us to not get caught up in the way of the world, because in the end, God is in charge, and things will be OK. That doesn’t mean that we simply just coast along, and let things be. No, we still stand up against injustice. We still speak up against wrongdoing. We still do what is right and good. But we do so without uncontrolled anger. It only leads to evil, the psalmist tells us. So, let us be patient. Let us trust in the Lord, and let us never give up, but continue to do good in the world.
–Tormod Svensson
Prayer
We too often pray “How long, Lord?” when we see evil and wickedness at work. And we grow impatient, or sometimes simply give up. Help us Lord, to be patient, and to trust you, even when it is difficult. Help us to not lose heart, but instead continue to do good and work for justice and peace.
Amen.