HOW LONG?

Life today is full of bad news.  Headlines shout of evil.  Atrocities are committed throughout the world.  Young people are targeted by wickedness and their lives are forever changed or destroyed.  

We look around and see a man like Putin who orders the murder of those who oppose him and attacks neighbors to destroy.  A man who believes he is above God.  

We see terrorist organizations attacking innocent civilians, often in the name of their misguided religion.  

When will it end?

As Christians we long and look for the return of our Lord when we will be taken home with him where no more evil will ever come.  What a joy to think of.  But in the meantime we are left in this world wondering how long this will go on.

A look at history might help us.  I am sure that Christians during the time of Nero were certain that Jesus would return soon since things were in such a wicked state.  Yet, Nero is long gone and barely remembered.  

During the time of Hitler many were sure the end of the world was near and the Lord would return.  Yet, Hitler is dead and the world goes on.

I am sure you can look back in history and point to many other examples of evil rulers who committed unspeakable things.  But you get the idea.  What we are living through is nothing new, even though to us it is.

A look at Psalm 37 will help us.  The psalm begins by saying, "Do not fret over evildoers."  Oh, how tempting it is to spend time fretting over the evildoers and worrying about their victims.  Yet, we must not fret.  Later in the psalm it says, "Do not fret, it tends only to evil."  We must be careful not to tend toward evil in our lives.  

The psalm tells us that the evildoers will fade like grass.  It says, "In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there."  Like Nero, Hitler and so many more the wicked will disappear and not be found.  

Verse 13 tells us that the Lord laughs at the wicked because he sees what will become of them.  In verse 9 we are told that those who wait on the Lord will inherit the land.  

We do live in an ever-increasingly evil world.  Satan is at work in the lives of so many.  But we must not give up.  We must remember to trust in the Lord.  He is in control.  He will work justice.  

 Fret not yourself because of evildoers;

be not envious of wrongdoers!

2For they will soon fade like the grass

and wither like the green herb.

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;

dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.

4 Delight yourself in the Lord,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the Lord;

trust in him, and he will act.

6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,

and your justice as the noonday.

7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;

fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,

over the man who carries out evil devices!

8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!

Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

9 For the evildoers shall be cut off,

but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

10In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;

though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.

11But the meek shall inherit the land

and delight themselves in abundant peace.

12The wicked plots against the righteous

and gnashes his teeth at him,

13but the Lord laughs at the wicked,

for he sees that his day is coming.

Psalm 37:1-13

We must never give up watching and waiting for the Lord's return yet at the same time we must not fret and we must delight ourselves in the Lord.  He will come at the right time and he will work justice.  

Maranatha!  Come, Lord Jesus!