DUDLEY HALL —

“But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped.” Psalms 73:2

When I first heard him I was impressed with his robust faith and confident, yet humble demeanor. And boy could he preach!  I could hardly believe my eyes when a few years later, I was in town and went over to see him. He was selling cars from a barn-like shed on the edge of town, and it was obvious that he did not view it as a job of dignity. His body language said it all. “You want to tell me what happened?” I asked. Slowly he responded, “I began feeling used and unappreciated. Others were getting their share of the bounty, and I was angry.”

The same thing happened to Asaph, the worship leader in Israel. He was involved in holy things everyday, but they lost their glow. He believed that God was good to Israel and to those who were pure in heart, and he qualified on both counts, but others who were not so careful, were being showered with blessing after blessing. It is a slippery slope when we begin to judge who deserves what. That is not our role. We just don’t know enough to be the judge.

Asaph continued his angry rant until he went into the presence of God. There he met the real Judge who showed him the end of the wicked as well as the bounty of grace that had been showered upon him.

“Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. . . . Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you: And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.” Psalms 73:17,23-25

We have been given some pretty large assignments, but none of them include being the judge of who deserves what. We are free to leave that in His hands. He knows everything and does everything right. We have been invited to live in his presence so that we can see reality. That is a safe place to stand. Everywhere else is slippery.