#DailyDevotion Don’t Be Tempted By The Lives Of The Wicked
Psalm 73 4They suffer no pains. Their bodies are healthy. 5They have no drudgery like ordinary people and aren’t plagued like others. 6therefore, pride is their necklace and crime the garment that covers them. 7Their eyes stand out in their fat faces. Their imagination goes too far. 8They mock and speak wickedly, talking about oppression with arrogance. 9They set up their mouths against the heavens and their tongues wag against the earth.
The psalmist begins with his description of the wicked and how they prosper. First he talks about their health. It doesn’t look like they suffer any bodily pains like other people. They are healthy by all accounts. Of course, with their wealth, they are not malnourished. This is his first temptation. Does it sound familiar? “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”
Secondly, the wicked seem to have an easy life. They do not live in drudgery like everyone else. Life seems pretty easy. It looks glorious. It doesn’t look like they have a lot of troubles. Well maybe they have first world troubles. The wicked have pride as a necklace and crime as a garment. What is the modern proverb? They must have done something illegal to make all that money. Well when you are wealthy you may get away with being unethical or have the laws favor your activity. They tell us regularly, “Greed is good.” Does this temptation sound familiar? “Throw yourself down from the Temple for it is written, “God’s angels will prevent you from stubbing Your toe against a stone.”
He sees the wicked mock and speak wickedly when they oppress people with arrogance. They do not care about the “little people.” They seek how they can pay as little as possible to those who work for them. They act as if they are doing them a favor. More than that, they speak against heaven and wag their tongues against the earth. They think the world is their oyster and they are not accountable to the Almighty. They believe the world is theirs to have and the people to do what they want. Does it sound familiar? “Worship me and all the kingdoms of the earth will be Yours.”
10So His people turn to them, swallow their words 11and ask, “How can God know and the Most High understand?” 12Look! They are wicked, and with never a worry they’ve piled up wealth. 13Yes, it was for nothing I kept my heart pure and washed my hands in innocence.
People who belong to God may at times turn from God when they see these things, particularly when the LORD lays upon them a burdensome cross for their good. They forget what God has spoken to them in His word about discipline. If God is not going to make them healthy, wealthy, and happy in this life, they’d rather follow the ways of the wicked for the brief moment of time they believe they have left. They don’t think God will know or understand. They see the wicked pile up wealth without a worry in the world. They think it was for naught they were obedient and doing the will of God. They don’t see any benefit in serving God. Serving God just seems to bring trials, troubles and tribulation. They think if they become like the wicked then they too can have all the blessings of the world. And the thing is, if they depart from the faith, they just might.
The devil is always tempting us with the temptations he presented to our LORD Jesus Christ. When tempted by the world and the devil, we should remember Jesus overcame the world and the temptations of the devil. We should remember the promise of Jesus in the beatitudes that we will inherit the earth, we will have His righteousness and we will inherit eternal life as gift if our trust in Jesus and His name remains until the end. The trials, troubles and tribulations of this life are short-lived. Eternal life in the world to come is forever.
Heavenly Father, when tempted by the allures of the wicked of the world, by Your Spirit remind us of the life to come and the promises of Christ so we may overcome them. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.