Good advice from a wise colleague

Here are some words shared by Dr. Dale Meyer in this morning’s Meyer Minutes.

The author of Psalm 30 gave thanks to God for his recovery from illness, as should we, now that we’re entering a new normal, but there’s more to the psalm than that. The writer traces both good times and bad to God, and his analysis is worthy of our reflection. “As for me, I said in my prosperity, ‘I shall never be moved.’ By your favor, O Lord, you made my mountain stand strong” (Psalm 30:6-7a). When he had good times, he thanked God but being thankful to God didn’t lock in the good times. “You hid your face; I was dismayed” (7b).

Questions and debates about the source of Covid show that, at least in the public talk that comes to us through media, God is out of the question. This is true not only of the origin of the pandemic but of many other doings in our daily life. We get along without God, or so we imagine. The psalmist may have taken some ancient medicine or procedure to help get better, we don’t know, but he framed the experiences of his life, good and bad, in conversation with God. “To you, O Lord, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy” (8). He prayed without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Meditating on the psalm invites questions. Why does God let bad things come? Why does He sometimes hide His face? Why do we sometimes feel the Law more than the Gospel? However God deals with us, there are some truths. Repentance should become deeper, as in Luke 13:1-5, although I honestly don’t find that alone comforting. More and more I see this psalm pointing me to Christ. We see our lives in Him. He was the Man of Sorrows, He did go all the way down into death, but “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness” (11-12). That will be the final word on your life because you are in Christ. He is ascended, intercedes for you, gives you His Spirit, and soon will come. Don’t count on the news to tell you that. Seek it out in His Word.