Briefing: I am a diehard Dallas Cowboys fan. But after the Eagles won the Super Bowl, I became a fan of the Eagle players. Not the Eagles, just the players who were outspoken about their faith and praise of God. It was awesome to watch the presentation of the trophy and the glory given to God!

Dispatch (Assignment): Read Psalm 92.

On the Street: If you were to take a survey of true Christians, you would find most of them came to Him when they were confronted with their sin and in need of a Savior. As a youngster, I remember hearing sermons about what happens when you don’t accept Jesus Christ as your Savior. They were not just fire and brimstone sermons, they were filled with the love of a Messiah who would die to save us from hell. I wanted to be saved from hell and I wanted a relationship with someone who loved me that much.

With most people, it is not a series of sermons that turns them to God. Unfortunately, the majority of people who turn to God do so during times of trouble, hardship, and seemingly hopeless situations. We look to God when we realize we are no longer in control, kind of like when some people call 911. They are looking for someone to come in and restore peace and control.

But when things are going good, it is quite a different story. Being self-centered is human nature. “You gotta look out for number 1”, “I did it my way”, “I’m the captain of this ship”, and “You are the master of your own destiny”. These are just some of the saying that comes to mind when I think of my selfish thoughts about success. It is in the heart of a human to take all the credit when things are going well. We think, “If all is well in my life I must be doing something right”.

Even as Christians we can lose our focus on God and get prideful and arrogant about things of this world.

Psalm 92 is an outstanding reminder of how we are to act when we are having good days, good weeks, good years, and an overall good life. “It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp.” The way this psalm starts off is simple and extravagant, much like the good news itself. “It is good to praise the LORD” No one is good but God, all good things come from God, it is good to praise the LORD! It is almost understated in its simplicity, yet it is the very reason we were created. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

When something good happens to your kids or job or when things “work out the way you planned”, it is our responsibility to thank God and give Him all the credit. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

“For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what your hands have done. How great are your works, Lord, how profound your thoughts! Senseless people do not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever.”

The last section of this psalm is a wonderful promise for those of us who are in the back half of life. “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The LORD is upright; He is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in Him.”

At 49, I retired from law enforcement only to take a new job at 50. I wondered how I would fare as a 50 year old rookie. Fortunately, I was blessed to be in a department where 90 percent of the officers had hired in, just as I did, after retiring from bigger departments. Glory to God! He made a way for the 50 year old rookie to pass Field Training and be salt and light to a new group of peace officers. “They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The LORD is upright”

Investigational Resources: Ecclesiastes 7:14, Psalm 34.

Officer Safety Principle: Glorifying God is our living testimony and witness.

from Psalms Through the Eyes of a Cop, Volume 2
©by Charles Gilliland. Used by permission.
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