Until I Went Into The Sanctuary of God

Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked...When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. ~ Psalm 73:1-3, 16-17

The psalmist, Asaph, wrote of being envious of worldly men. They did not follow God's law, and yet they were prosperous. How could this be?

Often, we find ourselves envying non-Christians for their wealth, or power, or beauty, or popularity...the list goes on and on.

Some Christians feel a twinge when others call them 'stupid' for not bribing their way, or resorting to dishonest means to get what they want. Some are labelled 'weird' for hanging out with "uncool", "unpopular" outcasts. The world tries its best to bend us to fit its mold; it laughs at us when we don't conform. The world is scornful of us, of Jesus' gentle commands.

And if we aren't careful enough about the company we keep, we will begin to see things the way the world does. We will be conformed to the image of this fallen world.

The NIV version of verses 16 and 17 read thus: When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.

Until and unless we enter the sanctuary of God, where His presence dwells, and learn to fellowship with Him, we will always feel a dissatisfaction within us about the way Jesus has called us to live, and we will long for the things of this world.

We must, like Asaph, go into the sanctuary of God and let His Spirit transform us into the image of the Lord Jesus, until we see this world through God's eyes. Only then will we truly understand, and find the grace and strength we need to live the way our Heavenly Father has called us to.