Meditation
04/02/2025 and 03/26/2025
Psalm 73, Part 2 and Part 1
Part 2 (Part 1 follows)
In meditating on Psalms 73, I believe that we see that Asaph, despite the fact that he walked with God, had quite the internal struggle going on in his life (Psalms 73:2,3). He seemed to be greatly disturbed and troubled when he observed the wicked of the earth living in seeming prosperity, while he himself suffered, and so much so that he even began to question the value of having walked with God (Psalms 73:12-14). He expounded on his unhappy thoughts in verse 21: “Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.” And, why is it that difficulties and conflicts seem to abound in the lives of even those who walk with God? My dear friends, we live in a world ruined by sin. Troubles and conflicts in this life are very real, and are a common experience for all; the godly are not at all exempt. Now, I believe that sin is the root cause of the evil in this scene, and that furthermore, much of the discouragement that even believers may experience results from the pernicious efforts of the enemy of our souls who will use such things to stumble the saints if possible (Ephesians 6:12). Thus for all of these reasons, trials and tribulations are not uncommon and should not surprise us. Our Lord Jesus said: “…In the world ye shall have tribulation…,” (John 16:33). Additionally, the Bible says: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you…,” (1 Peter 4:12). Our enemy, Satan is powerful and deeply intent upon discouraging believers and will seek to use such hard experiences to throw Christians back on our heels if he can. But we have the greatest resource of all! God is all powerful, and He offers us His precious promises in the Bible to comfort and encourage our souls all along life’s journey. The Lord Jesus went on to say in John 16:33: “…but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” The Apostle Peter adds: “…rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy,” (1 Peter 4: 13 ).
My dear friends, it was not until Asaph drew near to God in the sanctuary that he gained understanding regarding his discouragement, and was reassured about God’s loving care for him (verse 17. He was able then to confess that he had been wrong in ever doubting God’s care for him, and that the Lord was in fact guarding his steps (verses 22 and 23).
Have you ever struggled with your lot in life, feeling that others less deserving have prospered? I will share that these days in my 72nd year of life, my mind has often wandered back to days so long past, when I was a practicing dentist. I do sometimes miss the position of respect that I held in my small, rural community some 40 years ago, when I daily was referred to as “doctor.” I think that I rather liked too much to hear that title, and perhaps I yet have some residual resentment in my heart about the loss of my long cherished career dream due to my progressive blindness. Why was I to be denied a dignified position in society, while others enjoyed success in their chosen careers? Well, dear friends, in the face of God’s precious Word, I must now repent of all that kind of thinking. The truth of God’s Word tells us that Christian should not and need not be stumbled by the trials and disappointments that we may experience in life, for we have Christ, and that is all we truly need! In Romans 8:18 we read: “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” As a Christian, I know that I have been blessed with “all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ”, and this is true regardless of my feelings about my circumstances. So what more could I possibly desire. Therefore, the solution for a Christian who is discouraged by life’s hard knocks is not to dwell on the glories of this world, which fade away, nor on the apparent success of others, but to draw near to God through prayer and the reading of God’s Word. Therein, the child of God will find the truth that God is in full control, guiding our steps all along our way! In Psalms 73:24 we read: “Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.” Drawing near to God, as Asaph learned when he came before the presence of God in the sanctuary, is the key to peace for the unsettled heart. In James 4:8 we read: “Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you….” Furthermore, we read in Hebrews 10:22,23: “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised…).
My dear friends, in times of self-pity, a verse that has been so helpful for me is found in Psalms 73:25: “Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee. So, let the world have its passion for wealth, rank, and power! True believers on the Lord Jesus Christ need only the Lord: “My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever…. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Thy works,”
(Psalms 73:26-28).
Blessings to all,
Steven J. Faulkner
Part 1
Not long after I was saved, I received the news that one day I would become blind. I had worked so hard and so long to get into dental college, so this news was depressing in the extreme for me. Today, I am ashamed to admit that I had my doubts about God’s plan, though in time, God was able to minister to my soul through His Word so that now I see the tremendous blessing that God, using this early trial, had purposed for me. In Psalms 73, I believe that Asaph records his own struggles with a great disappointment in his life, and one that nearly caused him to stumble. In verses 1-3 he relates: “Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked…. Asaph rightly began by acknowledging that God is good to His children. And yet, it must have seemed to him that the wicked and ungodly of the world appeared to get by with their pernicious schemes, becoming rich and powerful while the innocent seem to suffer. In verses 4-12, Asaph goes on to describe the characteristics of the ungodly, noting that their wicked ways appeared to go on unchecked. Looking at the world through the eyes of the flesh, even the child of God can be stumbled by the activities of the wicked. In Psalms 73:13,14 I believe we see evidence of Asaph being overly discouraged by the apparent impunity with which the wicked seem to operate. He even begins to question the value of his own efforts towards godliness: “Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.”
My dear friends, you may depend upon it-the enemy of our souls will do all he can to discourage true believers by parading before our eyes the seeming glories of the world. In Ephesians 6:10-18 we are told how we can best defend against such spiritual attacks. Verse 16 tells us that we must use the shield of faith to quench those fiery darts of the wicked. And, what might those fiery darts be? Our adversary, the devil, will seek to rob believers of their joy by whispering lies, causing us to doubt God’s love and care for His own given the trials of this scene. My Christian friends, do we ever entertain doubts about the Goodness of God during times of trial? We live in a fallen world, and trials and tribulations will come as a part of our earthly experience. In John 16:33, the Lord Jesus said: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” God may allow difficulties in the lives of His own, but we have the assurance of God’s Word that these are ultimately for our good. James 1:2-4 says: “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” Like Asaph of old, we learn the truth about God’s constant love and care for us by trusting the infallible Word of God instead of what we may think we see with our eyes: “When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end,” (Psalms 73:16,17). Only when Asaph came to stand before God in the sanctuary did he see clearly the truth. And so it is for Christians today. We are invited to come boldly before the Throne of Grace for truth and comfort, and the grace to help us in time of need (Hebrews 4:16. So, why delay coming to the Lord in prayer? In James 1:5, we read: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” Asaph received wisdom and was able to see the matter of concern clearly only when he came before the Lord in the sanctuary, when he came before the Lord in prayer. It was the Word of God that revealed to Asaph that his conclusions about the apparent prospering of the ungodly were all wrong. In Psalms 73:21, 22 I believe that we see the conviction and confession of Asaph: “Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before Thee.”
My dear Christian friends, let us always come quickly before the Throne of Grace in times of trouble, and let us take up early on the armor of God that we may be able to view our individual situations through the eyes of faith. Have we allowed the devil to rob us of our joy in Christ Jesus by showing us the apparent successes of the ungodly? God’s Word is living and powerful, and I believe it is only by reading, receiving, and believing His Word, which is the solid rock foundation of faith, that we can see the world clearly for what it is, and that our peace and joy of being in Christ is made full.
Blessings to all,
Steven J. Faulkner
04/16/2025 and 04/09/2025
In Everything Give Thanks and Psalm 55
In Everything Give Thanks (Psalm 55 follows)
On a recent April afternoon, I went out onto my front lawn in an effort to rake up the sticks and few leaves which remained after the winter snows had melted. I did so enjoy the gentle, cool spring breeze, and the smell of the newly revived grass in my lawn, and best of all, I delighted in the feel of the warm sun on my face. These days, given my blindness, I have learned to rake by feel, sensing the sticks and leaves with my feet and hands, then by overlapping my raking strokes I try to generate a pile. However, on this particular day, my utter delight at being a part of such a day became clouded by frustration at my great difficulty in navigating my own front yard. In frustration, I was reduced to sitting on the lawn groping about to discover just where I was. Thus, I found myself becoming quite saddened about being blind! In my gathering gloom, my thoughts turned to the words of Psalms 55: 6: “…Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. “In the midst of my hour of self-pity, I called upon the name of the Lord to deliver me, and as if in response to my prayer, I heard in my mind the words of 1 Thessalonians 5:18: “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
In one of my morning meditations, I recalled the thoughts of George Matheson, a 19th century preacher from Scotland. This preacher too had become blind, and in this meditation, he confessed that while he had learned to thank God for the roses of life, he needed to learn to thank Him for even the thorns. But, can believers truly be thankful for the thorns of life? The testimony of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 gives us a hint: “…there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” I believe that Paul did not lose heart at the Lord’s purposes in leaving him with his thorn. Sometimes, we might feel that the presence of thorns in our lives might indicate that God really doesn’t care about our difficulties, but this is only a malevolent lie from the devil, intended to discourage the children of God. Be assured, dear Christian friend, that there is a very good reason for God to allow sad situations in our lives. We are assured in Lamentations 3:33 that “…He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.” Furthermore, we read in Romans 8:28 that the purposes of God with regard to His own are only ever good: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” God clearly has a purpose in allowing thorns into the lives of those who love Him. Such knowledge can only lead the child of God to praise and a thankful heart, come what may in this life. We might consider Paul’s conclusion as to God’s dealings with him in 2 Corinthians 12:10: “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” In this last verse, the Apostle Paul listed about every type of unpleasant thing that might occur in the lives of Christians, but given that we have the Lord, we can take pleasure, not so much in the thorn itself, but rather how a loving God and Father will use such experiences to strengthen His children. My dear Christian friends, even in those times that try the soul, we must always remember, “…the joy of the Lord is your strength,” (Nehemiah 8:10)
Blessings to all,
Steven J. Faulkner
Psalm 55
I recall a certain autumn day some years back, when life seemed particularly stormy and forbidding for me, and all my most cherished dreams seemed to be vanishing in the thickening gloom that was rapidly gathering around me. At that time, I seemed to be focused on the stormy sea, rather than on the One who walks upon the boisterous waves. On that day, as I ruminated on the issues that were so weighty and troubling to my thoughts, I suddenly heard the sounds of geese, flying low in the skies above my head. They were gathering into formation, following a circular course above our neighborhood, and honking wildly as they flew. As I turned my face to the heavens, I could hear the reports of their ever-changing position as they circled above me, and at once, I thought to myself how good it would be to take to the air like one of those, and fly to some safe and distant place to rest. I recalled the lines of the old, Gospel song, “I’ll Fly Away”, and longed for the peace and rest of heaven.
In Psalm 55, we read of a time in David’s life, when he was in the midst of a very great trial. I believe this to have been a time when family and trusted friends had turned against the great king, and now they sought his life. We read in verses 12-14, “For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company”.
What tormented David’s soul was apparently not so much that his life was being threatened by those who opposed him, but more that these “enemies” had once been trusted friends; they were from the king’s own house. Such things so weighed on David that his very soul cried out for relief. In verses 6-8, we hear the heart’s prayer of the king longing for deliverance and rest: “And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah. I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest”.
My dear friend, have you ever felt like this? Did you ever feel that the troubles and trials of life so mounted up on you that you could see no real hope of relief from your stress and sorrow, and you just longed for deliverance and rest. Like David of old, perhaps you longed for wings like a dove, that you might fly far from your troubles, and find shelter in some safe haven where you might have a time of respite from the whirlwind before you. Perhaps you are struggling just now, as you read these lines, because some loved ones or trusted friends have turned on you, or you have been falsely accused by those who were once on your side. Remember, our Lord Jesus Himself was once rejected by those He came to save: “He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not,” (John 1:10,11). Our Lord Jesus knows well the pain and sorrows of this world, as we read in Hebrews 4:15: “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin”.
Is it rest you seek, my dear friend? Perhaps that word “rest” sounds very good to you just now. If so, just listen to the comforting invitation as our Lord Jesus calls to you in Matthew 11:28, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” In Hebrews 4:16, we are invited to come to Him at any time when we are in need of His Grace and help: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need”.
Blessings to all,
Steven J. Faulkner