Following the Lord
by Glenn Crouch
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Trust in the Lord and do good (Psalm 37:3a).
Read Psalm 37:1–9
Is it not wonderful that the Bible so frequently deals with our anxiety? We are often told not to be afraid and encouraged to be courageous. David begins this psalm by encouraging us not to fall into the traps of worry and envy (verse 1) and instead to put our trust in the Lord (verse 3).
When we place our trust in the Lord, our response is to do good (verse 3) and to delight in him (verse 4). If we are trusting in the Lord and delighting in him, then the ‘desires of our heart’ will be for his will to be done – and he will grant that (verse 4). This is not something we do half-heartedly. We are committed to the Lord because he is committed to us (verses 5 and 6).
In today’s busy world, we need to be reminded to stop! Waiting and having patience are not things that come easily to us. We need to delight in God’s creation that surrounds us; to marvel at all he has done for us through our Lord Jesus. He is faithful. He is worthy of our trust. So we need to stop and patiently wait. Keep our focus on him, not on others (verse 7).
As Jesus tells us (Matthew 5:21,22 and Matthew 6:25–33), we are not good with anger or worry. These things lead us into dark areas away from our Lord (verse 8). Trust that our God is just, and evil will not be left unchecked (verse 9). It is for the Lord to determine the time – not us (verse 7).
This is our hope – that all that is promised has been achieved through our Lord Jesus. He is worthy of our trust!
Great and merciful God, thank you for all that you have done for me through my Lord Jesus. Through your Holy Spirit, please help me to be patient, to be still and to wait. Let me not focus on the ways of the world, but rather keep my focus on the cross of my Saviour. In his mighty name, I pray. Amen.
Glenn is the pastor of St John’s Lutheran Church in Esperance and looks after St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Kalgoorlie–Boulder, Western Australia. Glenn and Karen have been married since 1985. They have two grown sons and are enjoying regular video chats with their first grandchild.
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