| “Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.” |
| —Psalm 41:1 |
Have you heard the phrase: “What goes around, comes around”? Of course you have. We often use this phrase to speak about someone who has done something bad and eventually has something bad done to him or her.
Popular culture often uses the word “karma.” That word is used without fully understand its true meaning in Eastern religions. Nevertheless, we sort of like the idea that when someone does something nasty, eventually he or she will get his or her due.
But, the phrase “What goes around, comes around” can also have a positive meaning. It’s especially important for people who believe that if they could only be good enough, perhaps God will consider letting them into heaven when they die. But, of course, that’s not how salvation works.
By God’s own design and the law of life that He has given, salvation requires a blood sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sins. God knew we could never succeed in making that sacrifice for ourselves. So, in ancient Israel, God required the sacrifice of a perfect lamb, in order to take away the sins of His chosen people. This sacrifice was performed once each year on the Day of Atonement. But, God knew that this was a temporary, stop-gap measure. He had an even grander plan in mind.
God wanted to provide a permanent sacrifice for the sins of those people He had chosen to belong to Himself—people that He had chosen before the foundation of the earth. While it remains a great mystery to us why God might have chosen us, nevertheless He did so.
To provide that once-for-all sacrifice, God sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to be born as a human through the immaculate conception of a young Jewish virgin by the power of the Holy Spirit. This Son, fully God, yet fully man, lived on this earth. During the totality of His life, He did not sin.
When God’s time had come, He gave His Son the horrible privilege of dying on a cruel Roman cross of torture, whereupon Jesus bore the sins of all mankind. The shedding of Jesus’ blood paid the ultimate and perfect sacrificial penalty for our sins. Therefore, it is only through Jesus, God’s precious Son, that we can recognize that we belong to God and upon our death will spend eternity with Him.
But, what about the idea that “What goes around, comes around” insofar as our good deeds here on earth? To begin with, we who believe in God through His Son, Jesus, seek to follow God’s leading in our lives out of reverence to Him. We don’t do good deeds for a reward. We do them because that’s what God’s beloved people do.
But, in spite of our most honorable reasons, God does look with favor on those who do good deeds, especially when we help people who are helpless. Notice what King David writes in Psalm 41:1:
Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.
We show regard, or care, for the weak and helpless because we love God and want to serve as His ambassadors here on earth. In fact, that’s what He has called us to do. But, it is also true that when we show regard for the weak, this verse promises that God will deliver us in times of trouble.
That doesn’t mean we will never have problems or difficulties in this life. No, not at all. We live in a sinful world. Because of that, we are subjected to disease and many other kinds of trouble. We may lose our jobs. Our spouse may divorce us. Our children may turn their backs on us. We may be hurt in an accident. The list of possible trouble goes on and on.
But for a believer, God promises deliverance—not prevention, but deliverance. And that, dear ones, is really good news. We can launch out into each new day with the confidence in knowing that whatever may come our way, God will ultimately deliver us in times of trouble.
Our confidence comes from God’s loving hand. He breathes His love into us that we may share that love with others. We don’t need to waste one second worrying about the future. God will always—always—deliver us in times of trouble.
Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, June 6, 2017
