Psalm 4:6-7: There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and wine increased.
I remember a time in life when all that was important was having a good time. We got paid, went to the bowling alley on Friday afternoon and drank and smoked up far too much of what little a military income provided. I knew at home was a wife and child that needed that money for food, rent, clothing, etc. However the only thing I could see was a need to have a good time. Needless to say that once the reality of what I had done set in the times were not so good. We had to watch every penny, eat meagerly and do without some things, only to see the same scenario repeated payday after payday. One glad day though all this changed, when some men from a church came by and told me of a man named Jesus that could take away my sin and guilt, make a new creature out of me, put me in a right standing before God and give me a new life. I had heard these things as a child but had let the pleasures of sin lure me away and followed the crowd into what was suppose to be the good life. It turned out not to be so good. Oh sure there were pleasures, but they were only temporary and costly. Then came that night I gave my heart to Jesus and began to walk with Him! I found that money was still tight, yet I found I could give to church, missionaries and others, still have to pinch pennies and do without but there was a joy and peace that could not be explained. My wife got sweeter and my child became dearer. The reality of the verses cited became my life. Dear friend money is not the answer to life, comforts and ease cannot give you that deep settled peace that comes from knowing that you and God are at perfect peace. I am not talking about going to heaven for eternity, though that is a great part of the salvation found in making Jesus your Lord and Saviour, I am talking about knowing that peace that Peter spoke of when he says we now “rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory”. May I ask how it is in your life? Do you find yourself saying, “if I only had this or could get that, I would be happy”? I often felt that way, but the truth is there was always something else I needed after I got the first thing I needed. You will find the same, that is that things never bring lasting satisfaction. May I encourage you to do what the Psalmist says in another place “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed (happy, glad) is the man that trusteth in him.”