A Lenten Journey: Climbing to Calvary – Day TWO

Psalm 37, opening verses – 1-7, the New Living Translation:

Don’t worry about the wicked
      or envy those who do wrong.
For like grass, they soon fade away.
      Like spring flowers, they soon wither.
Trust in the LORD and do good.
      Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
Take delight in the LORD,
      and he will give you your heart’s desires.
Commit everything you do to the LORD.
      Trust him, and he will help you.
He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,
      and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.
Be still in the presence of the LORD,
      and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper
      or fret about their wicked schemes.

 _______

Don’t worry?

Yes, the psalmist says it two times, 
at the beginning and end of this chunk.

Don’t worry.

Specifically,
Don’t worry about the wicked,
    those who do wrong,
    those who prosper, though they are evil,
    those who harbor wicked schemes.

Man, that’s hard for me.
Is it for you?
I want those bad guys to get what they deserve!
And, to tell the whole truth here, I do worry about it sometimes.
So this Lenten weekday reminder is important:

Leave it to the LORD.

Trust.
Do good myself.
And most of all,
Take delight in the LORD.

And the best way to do that is also spelled out in these verses –
be still in God’s presence,
learn to wait,
to still that beating heart,
     that fevered mind,
     that mental to-do list,
     that building resentment,
     those rabbit-trail distractions that get so dang noisy.

And, oh yeah – in case you missed it – don’t fret.

______________

But I SO want to worry about it, Lord. It feels weird and sort of magical, but somehow I think if I worry about stuff, it will get better. Ha! Oh, help me to keep my sticky little mental fingers off the worry button and help me to keep my palms facing upward, ready and waiting for you. Amen.
________

Click here for day one of this series and an explanation of what it’s all about. 

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Comments

  1. Wanting to worry….Rich is the chief worrier here. If you asked him, he would tell you that his worrying has clear preventative value, as none of the things he worries about ever take place. 

    “Trust Him, and He will help you.” I’m living that right now. This is great stuff, Diana. Thank you. 

  2. Your husband cracks me up. I knew worry had its place! 🙂

  3. I often worry about whether what I want is what He wants. But I always come back to delighting. Who was it that said “Love God, and do what you want?” Meaning, of course, that if the loving and delighting is right, His desires become mine. One less thing to worry about.

  4. Kathy Robbins says

    This is really good and SO REAL!!! Sometimes it is hard not to get frustrated when others seem to prosper in the absence of God. Waiting requires patience and that is not my strong-suit. Thank you for your honest, wise words! 

  5. Diana Trautwein says

    Yeah, for much of my life, I’ve tended to be more in Rich’s room. Where do we think we have such power? I mean, really? Slowly, I’m learning to let go of the wrong kind of worrying. Talking about it again tomorrow (isn’t it funny how scripture sometimes carries a theme for us? That Holy Spirit, always workin’ it. Thank God.)

  6. Diana Trautwein says

    You GOT it. Don’t know who said that, but they GOT it, too. The more we learn to align ourselves with God’s will for us as Kingdom folks, the less difficult it becomes to make decisions. And delighting in the Lord is so central to that. Thanks for this, Sandy.

  7. Diana Trautwein says

    Oh, yup. Patience. Sigh. Not my strong suit, either. But I’m working on it, looking for it. Trying NOT to worry about it. :>)

  8. You want to know how many potential ear infections I worried out of existence when my kids were young? Just kidding. Sort of.

  9.  Augustine.

  10. But, worrying is what I’m so good at! Sigh. The only thing that seems to be making a dent in my temptation to worry is dwelling in how good God is. And, yes, I need to learn to be still so I can hear His reminders.

  11. Diana Trautwein says

    Oh man, do I recognize that feeling! And I think you’re right – remembering – living in the truth – that God is good….that helps. And being still sure can’t hurt!

  12. He’s also adorable 🙂 

  13. Yeah, Diana, I hear you.