What's This All About? (Part 3)

Wow, so it's been a long and eventful time since the last post, but let's get right into it.

So...where did we leave off? Oh yeah, we've been talking about Psalm 73 and our journey through it has shown us what happens when people use wicked means to prosper. It also shows us what happens when we see the wicked prospering! We get jealous and wonder why God hasn't intervened.

The last post (verses 6-8) helped explain what happens to those that pursue wealth and comfort at any cost. They get prideful, arrogant, and violent! They scoff and threaten oppression! But that's not the worst of it. Check out verse 9:

"Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth"
Psalm 73:9

That's bold! Pride is such a nasty beast that left unfettered it will fool us into thinking we own the world. We'll lay claim to heaven and take possession of the earth! I guarantee you that you can think of somebody you know or somebody famous that reflects this attitude. The sad part is that we're all capable of it. Moving on...

"Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance"
Psalm 73:10

This tells us something funny about us. What would you do if someone told you they owned the world? You'd say they're crazy, right?! Well, unfortunately, we don't do that! We run into people whose mouths lay claim to heaven and earth all the time. But we don't tell them they're crazy. We end up following them! They're so prosperous that we start drinking the waters of their abundance. We trade in the living water from Christ for the murky, toxic, and deadly water of the world.

Now here's the zinger:

"They say, 'How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?"
Psalm 73:11

They are so blind, so secure, and so trusting in their wordly prosperity that they start doubting the One who provides real prosperity. Do you see why pursuing wealth at any cost and taking credit for God's gifts are so dangerous? They cause us to forget about God! And then the cycle continues:

"This is what the wicked are like--always carefree, they increase in wealth"
Psalm 73:12

Carefree. Comfortable. Fat and happy. These are dangerous places to be.

To be continued...