Attending a parade can be quite an exciting adventure especially when you were little. Standing at street level, the first thing that usually catches your attention is the music. Perhaps it’s the endearing sound of the bagpipes, the mellow sound of the trombones or the rhythmic beat of the steel drums.
But the parade would be so much more enjoyable, if you were able to see above the crowds. Then all of a sudden, your dad lifts you on top of his shoulders, and oh, what a difference this makes to the enjoyment of the parade. You are no longer catching small glimpses through the legs of the adults; now from your new vantage point, you are able to see things as they really are.
Isn’t that very much like life? Sometimes it’s hard to grasp the meaning of your life from where you stand. You see all the inequities and the injustices around you, and the fairness of life escapes you. You just want to throw your arms in the air, and ask “What’s the use in trying anyway?” It’s a fair question, especially when you see the family across the street, whom you might consider to be selfish and arrogant, seems to be getting by quite effortlessly.
If you have such questions, you are not alone! There was this biblical character named Asaph who was a praise & worship leader in the Sanctuary. One day as he was probably getting ready to go to worship, something crossed his mind that disturbed him greatly. So, he put his thoughts down on paper, which we now know as Psalms 73. He started off by saying:
“Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills.” (Ps. 73:1-5)
In Psalm 73, Asaph is appalled at the injustices he sees in the world, and is conflicted by God’s apparent lack of concern. Something had almost caused him to lose his foothold on reality and about the goodness of God. The firestorm of frustration burning within his heart, was hard to keep under control.
On this particular day, as if hit by a bolt of lightning, he suddenly looks around him, and seeing all the inequities and injustices, he must have thought; Is God really that Good? If He were, why doesn’t He do something about this?
From Asaph’s knowledge of the Scriptures, he expects –
“God will guard the feet of His faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness.” So, naturally he is angry that God doesn’t seem to be rewarding the wicked according to their deeds. He finds it deeply disturbing that the wicked appears to live such blessed lives.
When we lose perspective about whose we are, we will come to the wrong conclusions. Asaph came to the wrong conclusions about a few things. He began to think that he had kept his heart pure in vain and that his hands, which he had considered innocent, were kept that way in vain.
But Asaph’s perspective on this whole matter was renewed, when he changed his position from watching the parade through the ‘legs of the crowd’ to atop the shoulders of His Father God.
Asaph said;
“It wasn’t until I entered the Sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. Surely You place them on slippery ground; You cast them down to ruin.” How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.” (Ps. 73:17-20)
We are not told what it was, but in the Sanctuary, Asaph had an epiphany that transformed his doubt-filled cynicism back to faith-filled hope. Asaph has been given a new perspective on the whole situation.
Seeing things from God’s Perspective, usually changes our mindset from the temporal to the eternal. Here at last, Asaph looks at God, gets his eyes off the world and himself, and he focuses upward. What he sees causes him to say to God:
“You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (24-26)
Like Asaph, are you experiencing a firestorm of discontent and frustration with the situations that you see around you? It may be because you have the wrong perspective. Try seeing things from God’s perspective! Because when you do, it will dispel spiritual blindness, and allow the light of God’s Holy presence to settle the deal for you once and for all. You will conclude that indeed, God is good and has your best interest at heart.
