Psalm 73 (NIV)
The recent Specsavers ad campaign is one of the funniest of British television right now. Their story lines usually involve some hapless visually-challenged individual doing the wrong thing like the farmer shearing his collie instead of his sheep or the father cheering for the wrong boy instead of his son on sports day.
The psalmist’s lament in the first part of this psalm (vs 4-11) is like a man before he’s gone to specsavers. He’s viewing everything around him with a flawed perception. It gives him a wrong understanding of what is good and what is bad. He knows people around him are wicked and yet envies their prosperity. He is not moved by the grief of their sinfulness but is instead overcome by greed.
It is like as Christians some times, we might look at the lifestyle of those around us who are not Christian – and their apparent loose lifestyle might cause us to secretly envy it. Like multiple sexual relationships before marriage, or dating non-Christians or viewing pornography. Doing any of the above, breaks God’s laws and His heart.
Being a Christian however means we get given God-tinted glasses to view the world as He sees it. This revelation once understood will keep us from ‘slippery ground that cast us down to ruin’. (vs 18) Some times we forget and remove our glasses.
When the psalmist sees through spiritual eyes that apparent prosperity of the wicked does not bring happiness but is despised by God as mere fantasies, he is freed from the oppression.
Let’s go to God’s specsavers today. A visit there will enhance our eyes to reiterate the psalmist’s prayer and view life and people in terms of eternity.
Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
The recent Specsavers ad campaign is one of the funniest of British television right now. Their story lines usually involve some hapless visually-challenged individual doing the wrong thing like the farmer shearing his collie instead of his sheep or the father cheering for the wrong boy instead of his son on sports day.
The psalmist’s lament in the first part of this psalm (vs 4-11) is like a man before he’s gone to specsavers. He’s viewing everything around him with a flawed perception. It gives him a wrong understanding of what is good and what is bad. He knows people around him are wicked and yet envies their prosperity. He is not moved by the grief of their sinfulness but is instead overcome by greed.
It is like as Christians some times, we might look at the lifestyle of those around us who are not Christian – and their apparent loose lifestyle might cause us to secretly envy it. Like multiple sexual relationships before marriage, or dating non-Christians or viewing pornography. Doing any of the above, breaks God’s laws and His heart.
Being a Christian however means we get given God-tinted glasses to view the world as He sees it. This revelation once understood will keep us from ‘slippery ground that cast us down to ruin’. (vs 18) Some times we forget and remove our glasses.
When the psalmist sees through spiritual eyes that apparent prosperity of the wicked does not bring happiness but is despised by God as mere fantasies, he is freed from the oppression.
Let’s go to God’s specsavers today. A visit there will enhance our eyes to reiterate the psalmist’s prayer and view life and people in terms of eternity.
Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
(vs 23-26)
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