Opening Prayer
Lord, confirm our hearts in righteousness and mercy before Your face. Amen.
Text: Psalm 37:21–26
The wicked borrows and does not repay, But the righteous shows mercy and gives. For those who are blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, But those who are cursed by Him shall be cut off. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand. I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lends; And his descendants are blessed.
Devotion
When this word of God says “the wicked borrows and does not repay,” it means especially people who are careless about fulfilling their obligations, and also take on debts whether they can pay them or not. With these words there is also a serious warning to all Christians, that they must not so entangle themselves in commerce and monetary matters so that they become swindlers. Do not live beyond your means. Let husband and wife, be agreed in this that by God’s mercy they will avoid getting into debt. The husband must not require more from the household than he gives it, and the wife must furnish the household according to their income. This I say as kindly advice to all young women. Be assured that it will succeed when by prayer and sincerity you are diligent in this. God always gives enough when one is modest and generous – generous with what one has himself, not like the unfaithful steward with what belongs to others. And to the men it should be said: Fill your wife’s hand with the fruit of your honest labor. Do not throw yourself into a business for which you do not have the necessary skills and means, lest you might easily come to shirk your responsibilities, so that others must pay. You have no intent to deceive, but when you speculate so that you cannot fulfill your obligations, then these words are for you, too: “The wicked borrows and does not repay.” But this should never be able to be said about children of God.
“But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition” (1Ti 6:9). But those who fear the Lord, who practice righteousness and do good, they shall never be in want, they shall always have abundance. “He is ever merciful, and lends; And his descendants are blessed.” There is no blessing in wealth acquired by miserliness, stinginess, and usury, but neither is there foundation in riches that are gotten for a fair price by shrewd dealings on a false basis. On the contrary, whoever fulfills his vocation in proper fear of God, who sustains himself faithfully and does good, his way shall be confirmed by the Lord, he shall “inherit the land and enjoy himself in great peace.” “Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright; For the future of that man is peace” (Psa 37:37).
Closing Prayer
God, guard us from the ways of the world and from the alluring and deceiving power of our own flesh. Of Your mercy give us success in our vocation, so that we always have what we need, and abundance for every good work. Give us holy aversion to all fraud and wrong, and holy desire to do good toward all. Let us and all our household be a blessing. Amen.
Hymn
My joy I have in God always
And not in earthly treasures;
My riches never fade away
Like this world’s passing pleasures;
Here they seem small, Yet I have all
In God, my true salvation;
So God will now His blessing show
And poverty will lessen.
The greatest boon that we receive
Is this now and forever:
The Lord shall no one e’er deceive
Who trusts in Him forever.
Believe His light, Do good and right,
Entrust your care and keeping
To God above Who with His love
Will watch e’en while you’re sleeping.
Pedersøn: Min Glæde udi Gud jeg har L 491:1.3 tr. DeGarmeaux;
tune: Mit Haab og Trøst (LHy 428) or Was mein Gott will (ELH 261); alternate hymn: For the beauty of the earth ELH 463