I once was young…
Filed in Devotions & Studies, General |
Isn’t this about the cutest little fellow you’ve ever seen? Just look at him — a perfect picture of innocence. Why, what mama would not want this little tyke to be her own little boy? Such a charming young fellow.
Sorry to all you mamas - He has already been taken. And there isn’t another one like him in all the world. This little tyke was born to the marriage of Lawrence Bert Martin and Grace Williams Carver. Yup, that’s really me. 
Ok, here’s another one that’s even far more on the beautuful side. Look at that striking, blue eyed, Oklahoma lass, sitting on her bronco. Course you can’t see her proper like. Just take my word for it. She is the prettiest thing west of the Mississippi River, and most likely east also.
Why, the first time I looked into those blue eyes, my toes began to curl. They’ve been curling ever since. Yeah, I know. I said this before.
Well, did you know that they even wrote a song about this Oklahoma beauty. Course I’m sure they likely had other folk in mind, but I’ve always loved the song, titled ‘Oklahoma Hills.’
Yeah, I know - I also shared this one before.
Want to hear it? I thought you would. Now keep in mind that the music they have in heaven may well be pure country. Can’t say that for sure, but why take any chances. You might as well get use to it down here.
What’s all this got to do with ‘I once was young…’
Didn’t think you would ever ask. The two pictures of me above, that is, the kid and the older gentleman on the right of the kid’s picture is proof positive of something that King David said several thousand years ago. It is something that has become my own testimony in life. David said…
“I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread.” – Psalm 37:25 nasb
You see, David had gone through just about everything in life that we can think of, from shepherd boy, to a king, from the victories of a warrior, to the horrible down failings of life. In fact if we were looking for someone to fit our idea of what a righteous man should be, David would most likely not fill the bill for us.
In fact if you study the lives of most Bible heros, what you will find are a lot of failings. Did you know that the very first time the word ‘righteousness’ is used in the Bible, it is used with a man who had made several wrong turns in life.
So righteousness doesn’t mean that we never make a wrong turn, or have some sort of stumbling in our life. God places the term ‘righteous’ on that one who truly believes in the Lord. This means that in spite of down turns or up turns, the Lord still sees us as righteous.
Listen to these Scriptures:
[First time used - concerning Abraham] “And He took him outside and said, ‘Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ And He said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.” (Gen 15:5,6)
[Concerning Lot. A righteous man?] “…if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds)…” (2Pe2:7,8)
[Concerning you and me.] “…that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” (Rom 10:9,10)
Did you catch it? Righteousness is a condition of the heart. It has to do with right believing. 
So I can say with David, “I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread.”
The point is that the Lord never forsakes His people. And if you would like to read a portion of Scriptures that speaks to this reality of life, take time to read the total of Psalm 37.
You see, David wrote all forty verses of this Psalm. Each verse has something to say about a believer’s walk with the Lord. There was a message that David wanted to get across to God’s people of all the ages. And because David was a prophet, the message he gives comes directly from the Spirit of Christ.
Think about it. Go ahead. Read Psalm 37.
And don’t be too hard on yourself or on others who may be struggling with issues of life. Jesus said that He would never forsake us or leave us.
Much love coming your way,
Buddy
