“Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it. But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.” — Psalm 39:6–7 (NIV84)
I smiled when I read these verses. “But now, Lord, what do I look for?” This phrase paraphrased today would be, “Seriously Lord, who else do I turn to?” You see, having met the Lord we are a bit stuck in our worldview. We may not always understand what the Lord is doing. We may not always like what we are experiencing. But having met the Lord, we know that there is nowhere else to go with our concerns. We have seen God act. We have experienced Him touching every aspect of our lives. Men and women and anything He creates are just mere phantoms. They don’t mean anything. We can bury ourselves in this world and all its stuff, but when we take our head out of the sand, we realize that none of that stuff changes our circumstances. Only God, who transcends the world we live in, can change our current situation. He alone can bring meaning and purpose to what we experience in life. And so, the psalmist says, “My hope is in you.” Who else can we put our hope in?
Are you going through a difficult time? Do things feel like they have been turned upside-down? Does it seem like God is not making any sense? Just hold on! You are not alone. Repeat what you know deep down inside — there is nowhere else to turn. The God who has seen you through your past trials may seem a million miles away, but He is not. He may seem to be silent concerning your circumstances, but that doesn’t mean He isn’t going to do anything. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.” Just be still. He will respond because He is God. He is your God. He loves you and knows what you are going through. Do not turn to this world for your answers. That will be a vain pursuit. There is nowhere to turn to but God.
As you hope on the Lord, may He strengthen and sustain your faith in the midst of whatever it is you are going through.
Peace!
Pastor Tom
www.firmlyrooted.church
