In His Time
By: Linda Barnett, Artesia, NM
Wisdom is defined by Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary as the ability to discern inner qualities and relationships, i.e. insight; good sense, i.e. judgment. We, as finite beings, can never fully understand the infinite God, but the Psalms help us to consider His wisdom so that we can appreciate how great and wise He is. His very creation testifies to His great power and wisdom. There is a logical progression in the days of creation which man could never achieve, even if he could create from nothing. Psalm 8:1 says, “O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is your name in all the earth! Who has set your glory above the heavens.” The creation took great power, but it took equally great wisdom.
Wisdom and knowledge work together, but they are not the same things. One has to do with facts while the other uses that information to its best advantage. Wisdom analyzes and then accurately exercises good judgment and discretion. God’s wisdom is so far above man that we must have it revealed to us. In Romans 11:33, Paul writes, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past tracing out!”
Many things reveal God’s wisdom to us: His word, His creation, His Son. By striving to emulate His wisdom, we elevate our conduct to a higher, nobler plane.
Reading Psalm 8 is an encouragement to us all. God’s creation manifests His nature and His power in creation. We seem lowly specks when compared to the vast universe displayed in the heavens on the darkest of nights. Yet the God who numbers these stars, who KNOWS them by name, seeks out me, lowly me, to be with Him in His glory. In Psalm 8:4, David asks, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, And the son of man, that you visit him?”
God made us; He cares for us, and He gave us dominion over all creation. Yet, we are never seemingly satisfied. We worry and fret, yet God knows us and our every need and problem. He promises to provide what we need just as He cares for all creation. Jesus tells us this in Matthew 6:8: “…Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” What comfort that should bring to us. But in today’s world as in the days of the Psalmist, we fret and worry about society, our country, our leaders, our families, and evil doers.
Turn and read Psalm 37. Why do good people suffer while the wicked seem to prosper? This age-old question is answered in four things we learn from God’s wisdom in this Psalm. First, we need to learn to trust in the Lord; second, we should delight in the Lord; third, we need to commit our way to the Lord; and fourth, we need to wait for the Lord.
Psalm 37:3: “Trust in the Lord, and do good.” We need to work on trusting God. He is the creator; He is in control. No matter what comes, we can trust that He cares for us and will help us if we turn to Him. Trust means we firmly believe in the reliability, truth, and ability of God to take care of anything that happens.
Psalm 37:4:“Delight yourself in the Lord.” We should expect all our happiness from Him, and seek it in Him. We need to find our joy in God and His word. If we remember that God is our creator and He cares for us, there is no room for fretting. Every name, attribute, word, or deed of Jehovah, should be delightful to us.
Psalm 37:5: “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act.” We are exhorted to trust our path to God – literally to roll our concerns onto God. This phrase probably is a metaphor taken from the camel, who lies down till his load is rolled upon him. Take all our anxieties, our cares, our will, our judgments and put them on the Lord. He is able to carry them and us through to glory.
Psalm 37:7: “Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him;” In His wisdom, God will make all to work for good for us. Don’t fret or be discontented. Wait, have patience. God provides plentifully and well. We can have peace of mind and peace with God, that peace that the world cannot give and cannot have. Time is nothing to God and we need to let Him have His way in His own time.
God will always stand up for His chosen. He will punish the wicked, though we may not see it in this life, and He will bless and support the righteous. Psalm 37 ends with the following observation in verses 39 - 40: “But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the LORD shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, And save them, Because they trust in Him.” We are too impatient for things to be done right NOW! We need to heed and practice the principles God sets forth in this Psalm. Praise God and cast your cares on Him and sing loudly, “Lord please show me everyday As You’re teaching me Your way That You do just what You say In Your time.”