Comfortable People
Now in my prosperity I said,
“I shall never be moved.”
Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong;
You hid Your face, and I was troubled.I cried out to You, O Lord;
And to the Lord I made supplication:
“What profit is there in my blood,
When I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise You?
Will it declare Your truth?
Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me;
Lord, be my helper!” – Psalm 30:6-10 NKJV.
We have to admit in the western world that we are comfortable people in many ways. We are free for the most part to move around as we like, to work where we want, and to live where we want. For the most part we have been free from the fear of rogue nations suddenly disrupting our lives. Ukraine, however, has shattered our illusions of safety and is putting our comfortable lives at risk.
Today we hear of cities in Ukraine being under siege with water, food, and power cut off during wintertime. Russian forces continue to shell civilians, including hospitals. Power has been cut off to Chernobyl which if it continues for a lengthy period could result in the airborne release of nuclear material. There are several nuclear power plants in Ukraine that could be at a similar risk. In addition, there are about two million refugees with millions more expected who also need help. May our God help the people of Ukraine!
In these verses in Psalm 30 there is described three states or situations for us humans. The first situation is that of all of us comfortable people described as the Psalmist says, “Now in my prosperity I said, ‘I shall never be moved.’” We have been under the illusion that our comfortable situation in life will continue forever, but that illusion has been shattered. The Psalmist had experienced this in his life and in this situation many rarely if ever think of God or of their need for God.
The second situation the Psalmist describes is when he says, “You hid Your face, and I was troubled.” That is occurring in the lives of far too many in these days. It is so easy for our earthly things that we trust and value to suddenly disappear. The question at this point is what will we do spiritually. Will we begin to think of God? Will we let God into our lives? Of even greater loss than material things and a comfortable life is of our future with God in Heaven. Will we remember God?
Here we come to the third situation the Psalmist describes as he does turn to God, “I cried out to You, O Lord….” “Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me; Lord, be my helper!”
This is a critical time spiritually in the lives of countless people across this world. Will they turn to God? Will you turn to God if you have never received Jesus as your personal Savior? Let us pray for the millions that are at the point of making that eternal life and death decision.
(The illusion of our comfortable lives is being shattered by the war in Ukraine.)