“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.” Psalm 92:1-4 ESV
Reflection: why would anyone choose a hard road, when an easy road is available?
One of the current day trends we can see all around us, is that of making things easier, more convenient. Remove any kind of efforts needed to achieve something. As I am sitting here typing this devotional on my mobile phone, let’s think for a moment about all that is at our fingertips through our mobile phones. The power we have through them is quite scary, actually. A short list would include that we bank, we shop, we read, we communicate and meet with people, we plan and schedule our day, we find the best roads, we get advice for food; some even get advice for life. , Because, while it is super convenient, aren’t we also giving up a lot? Like abilities and knowledge? To even think for ourselves? Let me ask you this question,
Isn’t the human experience inherently difficult?
Think of any great human achievement in history, even your own achievements personally, those have only been accomplished through hard work, or something difficult. If you remove the need to think, to know anything, or to work and achieve something, what is left of a human being? Isn’t that removing the very essence of human beings? Within the globalist agenda, such as the world economic forum, UN, and those who promote globalization, they believe most people will therefore become “useless eaters”, as technology and AI take over. In other words, not good for anything. Being thought of, and therefore treated as modern day slaves. Being controlled within 15-minute cities (sound familiar?). Whether or not we will allow such a dark future, can you image how evil someone has to become to think of their fellow man in such a way? Of course, this is nothing new. We have seen such wickedness and evil all throughout history.
In psalm 92, we see the contrast of the wicked and the righteous, those who have the Lord as their God. We can sometimes scratch our heads, thinking how can these people be so arrogant and not see, not understand, that they are being tricked by the devil, and they will be destroyed. We read “How great are your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep! The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this: that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever; but you, O Lord, are on high forever. For behold, your enemies, O Lord, for behold, your enemies shall perish; all evildoers shall be scattered.” Psalm 92:5-9 ESV.
Let’s instead look at the road that is less traveled. A difficult road, but it leads to life. Jesus explained it this way ““Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Matthew 7:13-14 ESV. The choice to pick the much more difficult path, has consequences in this world. We recently saw what happened to Charlie Kirk. While the cost was very high for Charlie and his family, think of the enormous impact he has had for Christ on millions of young people around the world. And then think for a moment about the fate of his 22-year old assassin and those who helped him, in this life and the next. How they have been lied to, and believed the lie.
The psalmist ends with the fate of the righteous, as a contrast between tall, massive palm trees and the strength of cedars, versus grass. “The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.” Psalm 92:12-15 ESV. Although it might be difficult in the moment, possibly even carry a high cost, let’s choose the road less traveled in this world, to follow the Lord God and trust in Him alone. To fully surrender to Him, and remember that it is not meant to be easy, “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Matthew 7:14 ESV