“The LORD watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked” (Psalm 146:9).

Today’s verse makes me nervous and uncomfortable. Our passage asserts several things:

• The LORD watches over the foreigner
• The LORD sustains the fatherless and the widow
• The LORD frustrates the ways of the wicked

The reason why I find our verse uncomfortable is because I see plenty of evidence of the contrary all around me.

• Foreigners are having a hard time. Hate crimes against Asians in the US have increased exponentially
• The financial burden of the Covid pandemic is being borne by the poor. The fatherless and the widows are not being sustained. Many are struggling to make ends meet
• The ways of the wicked are not frustrated. In fact, the wicked and the ungodly seem to be winning the day

What are we supposed to do with all of this?

There are two things we need to keep in mind:

1. Perspective matters
2. Suffering is not a problem to be solved but a condition to be mourned

Perspective matters

• The issue for us is that we see only what is right before us. It is true that there are many who are having a difficult time. But it is also true that there are many who are being upheld and supported by God through good people. There is good happening all around us
• If we were to take a snapshot of a woman in the pangs of birth, that snapshot would never give the overall perspective of how much joy there is in the birth and the life of a child. In fact, that snapshot would be the opposite of how precious and wonderful the birth of a child is
• We see in snapshots. God sees in eternally. God’s promises are true. God will judge. God will sustain. And thank goodness for that. Evil should be punished and vanquished. And it will be. In time. In eternity.
• Perspective matters

Suffering is not a problem to be solved but a condition to be mourned

• Suffering is as much part of human existence as joy and happiness are
• As long as there is free will, human beings will do atrocious things. And as long as human beings are sinners, suffering will be a part of human existence
• That sin has so marred God’s world is to be mourned and lamented
• God has overcome sin and darkness of the cross. And when Christ returns evil will be judged and vanquished
• Until that time, we live in a world where suffering is as much a part of human existence as joy and happiness
• This is what it means to be human

The psalmist is able to affirm “The LORD watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked” because the psalmist sees the world through the lens of faith instead of taking snapshots. This is the perspective of faith.

Are you going through a tough time? Mourn. Lament. And have faith that God is at work.

Life is good for you right now? Thank God. Thank God for his goodness. And have faith that God is at work.

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?” (Isaiah 55:1-2).

Sin lies.

Sin allures, baits, and attracts. But sin has no power to satisfy. Sin is never satiated. It is never satisfied.

It is in this context God declares:

• “Come, all you who are thirsty” (Isaiah 55:1).
  • Jesus declares, “Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst” (John 4:14)
• “Why do you spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?” (Isaiah 55:1).
  • Jesus declares, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry” (John 6:35)

Sin has no power to satisfy. Only God can satisfy.

It is interesting that in our text, God knows we have no money. And yet God invites us to buy wine and milk, and bread. What is that about? How can we buy anything when we have no money?

The banquet which God prepares for us, is one which we can only be invited to. We have no part in preparing the banquet. Only God has the power to prepare the banquet. The banquet is offered to us as a gift.

The banquet is the gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ.

• The wine, milk, and bread that God offers is his grace, mercy, and forgiveness.
• We cannot purchase these. We do not earn them.
• They are God’s to give. They are given by grace and grace alone.

But it is these gifts of God which alone satisfy.

So, “Why spend money (your efforts) on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?”

“Come, all who are thirsty, come to the waters of grace. And you who have no money, come buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!”

It is all grace. It is all God.

“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Psalm 42:1-2)

Seriously. When’s the last time you ever thought, “I thirst for the living God?” or “As the deer pants for streams of water, my soul pants for you?”

The thing is, it’s not that I don’t know how to long for things. I absolutely know how to yearn and thirst for things.

• I long to travel. It’s been over a year since I’ve been anywhere.
• There are times when I crave a juicy cheeseburger. One with grilled onions, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, little bit of mayo, catsup, and mustard. Yummm. My mouth is watering just thinking about this.
• I yearn to hang out with my friends. It’s been way too long since I’ve been with my friends.
• It would be great to worship with all of you.

What makes this worse is that my flesh knows how to long for sin and pleasures. It has no problem longing, thirsting, and yearning for sin and pleasure. I don’t even have to think about it. It just happens.

So, what is wrong with me? Why don’t I long for God in the same way?

If that’s what you’re thinking, you’re not alone.

Here’s good news. Change is absolutely possible. But here’s the thing: If you want things to change, then you have to change. You can’t change without changing.

It’s not that longing and thirsting for God is impossible. It just means making some changes. It will require re-wiring our brains and re-routing our heart’s desires. We have lived in and with sin for so long, our brains and hearts are wired to sin. We need to retrain and re-direct our brains and hearts.

So, when my flesh yearns and thirsts for sin, I literally tell myself, “Re-routing!” You know, the way your GPS does in your car when you stray off. When my thoughts stray, I literally re-route my thoughts so that I can re-wire my brain to yearn for God.

Try that. Say it. “Re-routing!”

Good. Now keep at it until our default mode becomes longing and thirsting for God and his righteousness.