| “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” (Psalm 73:2-3). |
| “Their feet run to evil … their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity” (Isaiah 59:7). |
| Sometimes we may look at others who do not know the Lord, and feel a little envious when we see them getting away with all the wrong things that they do. David had this problem thousands of years ago, when he saw wicked people doing so much wrong, and nothing seemed to happen to them. Not only did nothing happen to them, but they prospered too; things went well for them. He began to wonder if it was worth it to follow the Lord. But if we read the rest of Psalm 73, we find that eventually David saw their end, which was the judgment of God. |
| Those who are in our second verse — whose feet run to evil, and whose thoughts are of wrong things, will eventually fall under God’s judgment, unless they repent and turn to Him. We who know the Lord may suffer in this world, for at present Satan is the god and prince of it, and to some extent he has things running his way. Of course, the Lord is over it all, and Satan cannot go beyond what the Lord allows him to do. But for the moment, the world is his world, and the Lord is not directly interfering in it. |
| However, we need to look at the whole picture. It is well worth it to live for the Lord, for not only do we enjoy the Lord’s company all along the way, but we will be rewarded for it for all eternity. It is a good investment to make — living for the Lord for a few short years, and then enjoying the reward for all eternity! |
| But there is another reason why we follow the Lord. It is not mainly for a reward, but because of His love for us. When we realize how much He did for us on the cross, we realize that He is worthy of all that we can give for His glory. Rewards are not the motive for living for the Lord, although they are an encouragement. But our motive for living for Him is His love for us. |
