Psalm
37:1-40
Key
Verses: 37:1-3
“Don’t
get upset over evildoers; don’t be jealous of those who do wrong, because they
will fade fast, like grass; they will wither like green vegetables. Trust the
Lord and do good; live in the land, and farm faithfulness.” CEB
It has been a hard week. I
have read and re-read this Psalm over and over again, unsure what to say,
unsure how to respond to it, to things happening in my own life as well as in
the world around me. It is hard to not be upset over evildoers, and over broken
systems which harbor and propagate evil even when “good” people are within
them. It is so hard to stand back and watch as weapons, the Psalmist mentions
bows and arrows, and it would be easy to think metaphorically about them but
there in these last weeks actual weapons have been used against the weak, the needy,
as well those who are desperate and rightfully angry.
How do I be still and wait
for the Lord, when people are being misused, abused and murdered before our
eyes? How can we let go of anger and leave rage behind? Does it really only
lead to evil? It sounds like an aphorism from Star Wars! All this has already
led to so much suffering.
Yet, in the midst of it
all I know I can trust the Lord. Evil will not reign forever. God will act and
justice will shine like the noonday sun. Evil will wither and die. God will
move and God will act. In the midst of it all one person can feel so small, so
insignificant. What can I do? I can do good. I can live in this land and live
righteously. I can live the righteousness of God, I can let God’s justice be
the rule of all I do. I can examine, my own actions, I can be honest about my
own biases. I can plant righteousness, nurture justice and farm faithfulness.
I can work to grow the good things of God in my life, and seek in all ways, I
can, to bring God’s will to bear on the world around me. What can I do in the
face of overwhelming brokenness and evil? I can trust the Lord and can be a
farmer all that is good and right and just.
Thing
to Think on
Does
anything the Psalmist has to say in this passage bother you? What bothers you
about it?
What
do we do when God promises that evil will not continue but it seems to never
die?
What
does it look like for you to trust God right now?
What
would farm righteousness look like in your life? What does it look like for you
to do so today?
A
Prayer for Today
Oh, God,
it is too much! Evil continues to infect our world. It has made the very
systems which are supposed to protect us sick. There seems to be no cure and
the vaccine is too far away. Come bring your miraculous healing to us today.
Heal our land, heal our government, and heal our systems. Heal the very systems
of our society. We have waited patiently, we have tried to fix this on our own
for too many years, it is obvious we cannot do this. Good people on their own
cannot do this. Heal our land! Bring your healing, work a miracle among us, oh
Lord. I am waiting for you. And as I wait, help me to wait patiently. And I as
wait patiently help me to farm goodness and righteousness and your justice in
any small way I am able. Show me how I can live your healing in my own life.
Lord work your healing in my own heart. - Amen
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