In the past few days, I have been discouraged. I have been struggling with a common but difficult question. It is one that we all deal with many times in our life. The question? “Why do the wicked prosper?” Job asked this question more than 4000 years ago. Jeremiah asked a similar question 2600 years ago. “Yet, I wish to contend with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the treacherous live at ease?” Jeremiah 12:1 (HCSB).

I think that another question is implied. Why am I not prospering like them? It is difficult to understand. We are taught from an early age that we can make our own awesome future with grit and determination. Unfortunately, doing the right thing and working hard doesn’t always bring a great future. The world drills into our heads that if you work hard, great things will follow. But we all know that often it isn’t the way things turns out.

Why do we also dream of the best and often end up with the worst? Why does it seem so offensive and upsetting when the wicked prosper and we can’t. I have learned a few things in recent days as I reflected on these things. I am sure this will bother me again someday and I will learn some more lessons, but for today these are my takeaways.

First, I prosper more than I deserve. Many who do evil prosper more. Those who cheat and steal will move ahead quickly because they are cutting the line. It seems that they are prospering while we get pushed further behind. That is frustrating, but in reality getting pushed back two or three spaces in line isn’t that much. I’m still in line and moving ahead. I have a wonderful life and God has been with me in all things. That truly is prospering.

I’m also more convinced than ever that there is a God! If there was no Higher Power and the material world is all that exists, I wouldn’t be irritated by the inequity. There is some moral and ethical rule out there that insists that good should prevail. There are rules of fairness and rightness in each person’s heart. We don’t always play by these rules, and we also push people back in the line. But it doesn’t mean there aren’t rules, and that people are supposed to play by them. I only get upset because the laws of God, that have been ingrained in my soul, are being broken.

Finally, the conflict frustrates me and I am going to be upset by it for my whole life. All people will not bend their will to God’s rule. Even those that agree that you should obey God’s law, like me, will continue to disobey at times. But I am called to action by these things that cause upset and frustration. When I see the wicked prospering, I should remember that my responsibility is to “seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness” and let him deal with the rest. I need to remember that God is in charge and He set the rules. He promises to deal with evil and reward good. I need to trust that in His time He will deal with the inequities that are upsetting me. He rewarded Job and punished those that Jeremiah complained about. He is faithful to His Word.

Psalm 37:7–11 (ESV): 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! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.

“Life is God’s novel. Let him write it.” Isaac Bashevis Singer

I am often inspired to write by an event or an idea that occurs in the present moment. Sometimes I feel that I should write because it is an act of obedience and form of discipline, a devotion to God, but I don’t feel inspired. For those times I keep a list of ideas in a little journal. I read through that until something inspires me and I write. Today was one of those days. I thought I should write a blog about the New Year, so I was thumbing through the book looking for something along those lines. I didn’t find anything, but something caught my eye, and immediately I knew that I had found my idea for today.

It wasn’t any of my clever blog ideas. It wasn’t the profound but often elucidated idea of the blank page. But the thing that caught my eye was a surprise I found in my little book. It was scribbling that I assume was written there by a beloved grandchild. I laughed and thought of my little people, any one of which may have been the perpetrator (except Elsie, she’s too new).

I realized that those squiggles and swirls would be the impetus for this blog. Because you see, I have a sign above my office door that is all about the scribbles that I write. It reads, “Life is a book unwritten. Only you hold the pen.” Although I always knew that wasn’t exactly true, I never realized how wrong it is.

The quote above is how great people of faith wrote the book of their life; they let God do it. I realize that God writes great plans and ideas on the pages of my day. I also realize that I scribble over them. My “writing” is, I’m positive, looked upon by God in love. He understands the urge to express myself when I see an unattended writing instrument. He still sees me as a beloved child. He also knows that compared to what he writes, mine is unintelligible gobbledygook. So a mature person would refrain from defacing the book and let the Author’s words stand alone on the page.

So, in a way, I guess this is a blog for the New Year. In this New Year, I plan to scribble on my life less. My real desire is to see what God is writing and enjoy the story.

“The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever;” (Psalm 37:18, ESV)

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, NIV)

Our congregation was singing songs of praise and worship during a recent Sunday service. It was beautiful, powerful and moving. The songs spoke of God’s great love. They pointed to the great sacrifice that the Father made by sending his one and only Son to be the Savior of sinful man. The songs spoke of Jesus’ love, giving his life, being crucified for his enemies. And we praised our great God for this unfathomable kindness that saved us from a dire fate, eternal separation from our Holy Creator.

It was a powerful time of worship. It moved my heart, mind and soul. And it began a time of reflection. First, I contemplated God’s amazing love. While I was still a sinner, Christ died for me. I am so glad that he loved me and that he accomplished the necessary work so that I could be reconciled to him. He didn’t ask me to act right, be right, or even change. He died for me knowing that I was sinful and would live as his enemy. That is unconditional love.

Next, I considered the incredible fact that Jesus had died on the cross to save the world from sin. All the people that I know that are living as enemies of God are people that Jesus died to save. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, NIV) And I believe God when he says, “whoever believes”.

Then the Pastor preached about living on mission. I remembered my role as an ambassador of Christ. I am to represent Jesus to the world so that they will come to know God’s ineffable love. I want them to join with me in knowing that “because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4–7, NIV)

My reflection began as an appreciation for what God had done for me. It began as a time of personal and corporate worship that led from an attitude of gratitude to a commission to live on mission. Now I need a plan of action, so that as I go into the world, I preach the gospel, in word and deed.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”” (Acts 1:8, NIV)

After taking some time off, I have decided that I should begin blogging again. I took a hiatus for a few reasons.

First, I was overwhelmed by the superabundance of words that I was encountering. Blogs, books, tweets, posts, emails, commercials, songs, speeches, sermons, junk mail, magazines, and constant chatter were wearing on my soul and mind. I wondered if there was any purpose in me to adding to the clamor.

Second, I wondered if I was wasting valuable time. Writing takes time. Then there is the editing, posting, and promoting. I was wondering if my time would be better spent in other pursuits.

My third reason was that I wanted to change the way I studied and spent my devotional time. While I was blogging, a lot of my energy and thought would tend toward my next writing project or idea. I wanted my thought to tend toward God and my personal relationship with him.

There were some other small factors, but these were the main reasons I took a break. I learned some good lessons during this time and I realize that I need to write.

Writing is one way that I fulfill the Great Commission, ”go and make disciples”. Speaking truth is important. If one other person hears the message and grows in Jesus, I am making a disciple. I can’t let the world and its noise deter me from sending forth God’s message of truth. This is never a waste of time and my devotional practices and habits should spur me on to new ways to reach the world with the good news of Jesus.

I am now convinced that writing is a worthwhile pursuit. It is my opportunity to be a witness in Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth. I will blog again.

“For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:5–11, ESV)

This has been a difficult week. My sister unexpectedly passed away in her sleep on Thursday morning. It has been a sad time for our family. It has been sad, but not hopeless. We have grieved, but also rejoiced. We have reflected on the past but also anticipated in the future.

My sister struggled in this life. But she professed Jesus as her Savior. She preached him to her friends that were hurting and in need. She had faith in the saving grace of the Messiah, who died on the cross for our sins. She believed in the resurrection from the dead and that there was life in heaven for all who put their faith in Jesus. So now that she has died, she has been set free from sin, utterly and completely.

My sister’s death has reminded me that Jesus died that I might be free from sin, utterly and completely. He chose to start the process here and now. In this life, I have the opportunity to die to sin. My old self has already been crucified with Christ. I have the ability by the power of His resurrection to die to sin, but present myself alive to God.

It is my goal to live the resurrected life now. I want to die to sin. I want to live for Jesus. Time is short and only the things I do for Jesus and His kingdom truly matter. I must die to sin and live the resurrected life so that those around me will see the power of God at work in me and will come to know Jesus as their Savior receiving the free gift of eternal life. “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:22–23, ESV)