Do not fret because of evildoers, be not envious toward doers of unrighteousness. For they will wither quickly like the grass
and fade like the green herb.

~Psalm 37:1-2, LSB

Quote

God places a premium on human free will and because that will often opts for self-will and evil, the world as we know it does not reflect His purpose or intention.

~Gerald H. Wilson

The quote above will make a Calvinist do a back flip. I have had discussion with them before. “God is sovereign,” they say, “there can be no such thing as free will.” If God is sovereign, and I believe He is: He can do as He pleases whether we understand it or not. I like the late great Vance Havner’s definition of God’s providence: “God either makes it happen or allows it to happen, but nothing just happens.” As Calvin C. Inman once said, “God has a perfect will and a permissive will.” This is evangelical theology, not five point Calvinism, no Calvinist will agree with this statement. I don’t know how many times I have read Psalm 37:1, “Do not fret because of evildoers,” and I have always assumed that David was talking about worry. I thought the word “fret” meant worry or anxiety. That is what it means today but the word “fret” originates from the old English word “fretan” meaning to devour or eat up. The word’s meaning evolved over time, eventually encompassing notions of consuming, worrying, or being annoyed, all stemming from this initial sense of  being”eaten up” or “devoured.” The Hebrew word ḥārâ translated ‘fret’ {Psalm 37:1} means to be hot, furious, burn, become angry, be kindled or incensed.

Basically speaking, we are not to get agitated and enraged over the prosperity of the wicked. We certainly are not to envy them. Yes, they have money {billions}, power, comfort, security but they do not have Jesus. Ask yourself this question: would I really want to exchange places if it meant giving up my faith in Christ. According the Chatbot, there are 2,700 billionaires in the world. We do not know for sure, but approximately 25% or Jewish {race, not religion}. I was a little surprised with some of the answers I got from artifical intelligence. I didn’t expect it to be so honest and forthright. The ultra-rich like to maintain {most cases} anonymity. They prioritize secrecy and privacy. Most of them do not want to be known. One of their big concerns is security but their are other reasons including public perception and influence.

I don’t have a problem with their desire for privacy but hiding their agenda bothers me. There are two things we cannot allow to happen: [1] We can’t let the success of the wicked undermine our confidence in God’s righteousness and goodness. Psalm 5:4 reminds us, For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; Evil does not sojourn with You. God will judge evil. [2] We live in a fallen world that has been marred by sin. As C.S. Lewis said, “The world is a dangerous place.” Life in this fallen world will remain  difficult and painful. Again as Lewis said, “God can not take us out of the pain without taking us out of this life.” You might say that those who hurt are truly alive. I’m not sure about the smug and arrogant rich: I don’t know if they feel pain or not. Their hearts are hard and calloused. 

The bottom line is do not fret. As Carol says, “God has got this.”

Extra

Blog is a little long: sorry about that. I have worked in VBS since 1970; I guess that is 55 years but I didn’t work this year. Between Ty’s games and Doctor’s appointment, I have not got to attend a day and I was unable to do the tractor-trailer rides. Maybe next year will not be so hectic but at least it will put an end to my boasting about how many years I have worked in VBS. I always dreaded this happening but this year has been different and I am learning to take things as they come. It does reinforce the old adage, “One monkey does not stop the show.”

Continue to pray for our Cancer Warriors: they are all battling but they have had a difficult month. Pray for them.

I hope you have a great day and thanks for reading the blog.