#DailyDevotion Whose Way Do You Walk On?
Psalm 1: 4The wicked are not like that but like chaff that the wind blows away. 5And so when they’re judged the wicked will not stand, nor will sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6You see, the LORD cares about what happens to the righteous, but the wicked go their way and perish.
While the LORD doesn’t want anyone to perish but would that the wicked would repent and receive eternal life, eventually there comes a day of judgment for them. Sin, in no way gets away with anything. It is either settled on the cross of Jesus or in your soul and flesh for all eternity.
While we believers in Jesus Christ may suffer now, at the resurrection we will succeed in all that we do. At the moment it seems as if the wicked prosper and get away with all the wicked deeds that they do. Eventually, even Charlie Harper (character from Two and a Half Men), whose way always seems to go well no matter what, is pushed in front of an oncoming train by his wife.
The Psalmist says the wicked are like the chaff the wind blows away. The wicked shall not stand or will sinners in the congregation of the righteous. That is to say, on the day of judgment, as Jesus notes in the parable of the Last Judgment, the sheep are separated from the goats. But we see something different happening in this age. Asaph notes in Psalm 73, 2“But my feet almost slipped, and I almost lost my footing 3because I was jealous of those who are proud and saw how the wicked prosper. 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.” But then he notes later, “17until I came into God’s holy place and saw the end in store for them. 18Surely You will set them in slippery places and make them fall into ruin. 19How quickly they will be destroyed, completely wiped out in terrifying ways!”
The LORD reveals this same truth to Malachi 3, 14“You said, ‘It’s useless to serve God. What did we get whenever we did what He wanted and walked in mourning before the LORD of armies? 15According to our experience people are happier if they forget about God, more successful if they do wrong. Yes, you can challenge God and get away with it.” This is what the wicked think. But the righteous who hear this respond to these words, “16Then those who respected the LORD talked to one another. And the LORD was interested and listened. And a record was kept before Him of those who respect the LORD and think highly of His name.” The LORD responds to the righteous, 17“They will be Mine on that day when I act, they will be My precious possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. 18Then you will again see the difference between a righteous person and a wicked person, one who serves God and one who doesn’t.”
The spiritual reality of what we think is reality just isn’t so. The wicked are not getting away with anything. It is not useless to serve the LORD Jesus Christ. Eventually there is a judgment and it is based on did you trust Jesus to save you and suffer much during this life or did you live not trusting in Christ and lived as if there was no recompense to God. Do not give us running the good race with Jesus. You will be rewarded for your faith if you do not give up.
Heavenly Father, open our eyes so we may see the truth of your judgment and put our trust always in our LORD Jesus Christ so we may receive from your hand our eternal inheritance. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.