Proverbs 12:21-22 

²¹ No harm overtakes the righteous, but the wicked have their fill of trouble. ²² The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.

Reels

Watch online videos has become a recreation these days. You can easily watch different kinds of video online: video related to your hobby, job or studies. Creators of video are very innovative to come up of unique ideas. God Almighty our Creator must be very creative; he created billions of mankind uniquely, right?

         We believe in the Lord God Almighty as our Creator; he created mankind with different talents. God our Creator must be very glad to watch the creativity of his creations just as we are very delighted to watch different kind of videos, right?

         What is it that God watches among his creations? He watches what may delight him. Together, let us prayerfully reflect on what Psalm 145:20 declares. ²⁰The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.

God must be delighted when he watches over all who love him. And the Lord delights in watching over the righteous who loves him. Believers who love the Lord love righteousness. The Lord keeps all who love him from harm within his righteous ways. But outside the will of God awaits trouble for the wicked.

1.  Trouble

²¹No harm overtakes the righteous, but the wicked have their fill of trouble.

         When you drive which one do you prefer – straight path or zigzag road? At the right speed, motorists are safer on straight road and not worry about harmful accidents. Traffic rules and regulations are designed for safe driving experience of motorists who abide in them. Similarly, it favors us to follow the straight path of righteousness. And the Lord designed the Scripture as guide to righteous life.

Let us reflect on what it had declared in Psalm 1:6, ⁶For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. 

Reckless drivers love to drive at high speed but they are very slow and not quick to abide by the rules. Maybe, thrill-seekers wish to become famous in their own negative ways. Bad elements of the society will always try to advance their wicked agenda. Well, there are always provocative violators who may explore alternative options. You can readily find thrill-seekers anywhere, anytime. When wickedness controls their mind, they disregard harmful result of their crime. Do they know that trouble comes with crime or they just want to ignore it? 

Faked Cancer

The police reported that an employee of a daycare center was charged; she lied about having terminal illness so that she can collect thousands of dollars in donations. Accordingly, the woman told her co-workers that she had cancer.

She also provided her employer with fake documents from her doctor. So, her sympathetic co-workers raised funds for her, about $20,000. Some of the staff members even shaved their heads to support the cause. The scam of the woman was exposed after one parent reported her to the police.

Scammers are everywhere. Relatives, friends or acquaintances could be victims of scams. Christians are not exempted from possible scams. What can we do? We should regularly pray for government authorities. God has instituted authorities on earth for his good purposes. How do you personally interpret what it says in Romans 13:4? ⁴For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.  

In the minds of senseless offender, it may appear to be perfect at the initial stage of their planning and execution of their crime. They may think it as “Perfect Crime.” But eventually, justice will overtake anyone who commits a crime; if it is not sooner or later, crime will be punished in eternity. How strong can you agree?

The above case of lying about having a terminal illness to collect much money is practical example when mankind craves to have more. There’ll always be discontentment in this material world, why? Together, let’s seriously reflect on Revelation 21:3-5, ³God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. ⁵He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

         Our eternally contented God had reserved true contentment in his heaven.  In this world, we cannot escape death, pain, mourning and crying. God promised no more pain, death, mourning and crying in heaven. Can you strongly believe it? We pray that the Lord inspires us always to follow his godly instruction. It favors us to obey the Lord, and still, God promised rewards for obedience to him. God cannot lie because he is trustworthy, and he delights in trustworthy people.

2.  Trustworthy

²² The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.

         God won’t contradict himself. God does not lie, and he does not disregard liars because lying is disgusting to him. Surely, he delights in trustworthy people.

The term “delight” is properly interpreted as “favor.” The Lord favors believers who are trustworthy. The term “Trustworthy” can be translated as “honesty, fidelity, truthfulness, firmness and steadfastness.” God favors the honest, truthful, firm and steadfast believers. Favor from the Lord brings us success.

Attack

         Reflect on what it narrated in Exodus 17:8-13, ⁸The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. ⁹Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.” ¹⁰So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. ¹¹As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. ¹²When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. ¹³So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.

         Interestingly, the Hebrew term of the word “steady” (here) is the same Hebrew word translated trustworthy in Proverbs. When the hand of Moses has remained steady, Israelites defeated their enemies. Why? The Lord favors the steady and trustworthy leadership of Moses with the help of Aaron and Hur.

Likewise, we should also regularly pray for our leaders to be trustworthy, steady and firm in their dependence upon the Lord. We can easily find stories of church leaders and pastors who committed crime in the church. Pastors and church leaders can be manipulated by human sinful instinct. But when the Lord favors our leaders, the church will be favored and blessed as well.

What do you think? Should we pray that the Lord will bless government authorities also to be honest, trustworthy and steadfast? Of course, we should. They cannot be honest on their own human effort. We also pray for ourselves.

Reflect on what King David testified in Psalm 37:23-26, ²³The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; ²⁴though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand. ²⁵I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. ²⁶They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing.

         Anybody could be shaken by concerns in life. Concerned leaders may worry about the church when members are sick or have problems. Responsible parents are concerned about their children, what happens to their future.

If our concerned leaders worry or concerned parents worry, it affects them to perform more responsibly. What can we do to help our leaders and parents?

We should regularly pray for our leaders and parents. Like Aaron and Hur who held the hands of Moses so that his hands remained steady until they have completely defeated their enemies, we should serve as helping hands by lifting up in prayers our church leaders, government officials and parents.

And, may our leaders be trustworthy, honest, firm and steadfast in the life! Amen? Yes Lord, bless your church and this land.

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