A Reality Check
Scripture Reading — Psalm 52
Why do you boast of evil, you mighty man? ... Surely God will bring you down. Psalm 52:1, 5
Max De Pree, a Christian businessman, observed that the first task of a leader is to define reality. The leader communicates what is important and what is not. Worship defines reality; it communicates what matters. In Isaiah 6, for example, King Uzziah had died, and life seemed fearfully unstable. When Isaiah entered the temple, he saw a vision of the Lord sitting on a throne, high and exalted. It was a reality check. Life was not out of control after all. There was the Lord. In Psalm 73 the psalmist says he was confused that the wicked could prosper so well, and he envied them, he said, "till I entered the sanctuary of God ... [and] understood their final destiny" (73:17). Doing a reality check is also very much at work in Psalm 52. A mighty man is a most imposing figure in the world. He has wealth and grows strong by destroying others. But in worship before the face of God the psalmist sees the truth. The mighty man is a fool, his strutting a joke, and his strength an illusion. God will bring him down to ruin. While the fool may say in his heart, "There is no God" (Psalm 53:1), the wise person knows there is a God, trusts in his unfailing love, and lives accordingly. Today, before we set out to worship, let's do a reality check and be wise.
Lord God, may our eyes ever be on you, so that we may see all things in life as they really are. Help us to trust in you and live faithfully for you each day. In Jesus, Amen.
About the author — Jack Roeda
Rev. Jack Roeda is the senior pastor at Church of the Servant Christian Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and an adjunct professor of preaching at Calvin Theological Seminary. He is married to Carol Sue Kok, and they have three children and two grandchildren. Pastor Roeda has served two previous churches: Exeter (Ont.) Christian Reformed Church and Calvary Christian Reformed Church, Holland, Michigan.
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