Psalm 73:23
What do you have planned for today? It may or may not take place. It all depends on what the all-wise God of all mercy has planned in His eternal, unchangeable counsel. And that counsel is not a dead blueprint but a living plan that He eternally has in mind and that is constantly before His consciousness.
All in that counsel is designed to realize the day when the kingdom of Christ is established upon the new earth and God is all in all. Then the church of Christ is crowned with the glory that He now has at God's right hand. And the exact measure of glory, as well as the exact way it will be realized for each individual believer, and the exact moment of his entrance into it with his soul is all unchangeably decreed in that counsel or living plan.
Asaph did not see that before he wrote Psalm 73. He envied the wicked in their earthly prosperity. His own poverty, afflictions, and difficulties made him question God's love and tender mercy for him. He could not see how the rough road on which he was traveling could lead to heavenly glory. He wanted earthly glory as an evidence of coming heavenly glory. Being chastened every morning and plagued all the day long he could not see that "God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart" Psalm 73:1. Later on he did see this and began his psalm with those words. But for a time he questioned where the days of his years were bringing him. It seemed useless to walk in God's law and to have faith in His covenant faithfulness.
Do not borrow his unbelief today or ever in the future when the going is rough. Instead, take hold of his words after God caused him to see the light. In Psalm 73:23 he writes, 'Nevertheless I am continually with Thee. Thou hast holden me by my right hand." This is versified beautifully in the words (PRC Psalter):
In doubt and temptation I rest Lord in Thee:
My hand is in Thy hand Thou carest for me.
Yes, He does care for us in our afflictions. For with these He is polishing us and getting us ready for that heavenly glory in Christ.
Read: Romans 8:18-39
Psalter versification: 202:1
Daily Meditations
on the Heidelberg Catechism
(Song for Meditation: Psalter #411)
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Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Genesis 3 ; Genesis 2 ; Genesis 3 ; Genesis 4:1-26
Matthew 2:13-25 ; Genesis 3:1-6
Psalm 2:1-12
Proverbs 1:7-9
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Quote for Reflection:
"Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that a man would stake his life on it a thousand times . . . O, it is a living, busy, active, mighty thing, this faith; and so it is impossible for it not to do good works incessantly." — Martin Luther, Romans’ Preface
Additional Info
- Date: 2-January
Heys, John A.
Rev. John A. Heys was born on March 16, 1910 in Grand Rapids, MI. He was ordained and installed into the ministry at Hope, Walker, MI in 1941. He later served at Hull, Iowa beginning in 1955. In 1959 he accepted the call to serve the South Holland, IL Protestant Reformed Church. He received and accepted the call to Holland, Michigan Protestant Reformed Church in 1967. He retired from the active ministry in 1980. He entered into glory on February 16, 1998.