Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. v4
Last Saturday evening my family attended the wedding dinner of one of my wife's nephews at Syuen Hotel Ipoh. It was a grand occasion, taking place in a very grand, charming colonial style building which has been very carefully preserved over the decades. We enjoyed ourselves thoroughly with the food, the music and songs, and the joy of meeting up with so many cousins and their families and some hometown friends.
In the midst of the very happy and noisy chatting, my attention was drawn to the many "auspicious sayings" uttered by the MCs, as is the normal practice of traditional Chinese community everywhere.
Besides that, much pain was also taken to ensure that as many auspicious symbols as possible were put in place to bring about good fortune, good health, long life and great success in the coming years of the bride and groom's married life. For example, all the eight courses of food at the dinner table carried auspicious sounding names. The colour red, or at least pink, was made prominent in the decor of the banquet hall. And everybody was expected to be careful not to utter any words or make any careless remarks on ominous subjects such as death, illness or loss.
It occurs to me now that such traditional Chinese practices appear to be based on the belief, or the assumption, that by making such utterances heard and by having such symbols made prominent at the wedding, one can bring about the fortunes that one hopes for. At best, it seems like wishful thinking, and at its worst, it resembles some occultic incantations.
In contrast, I remember Psalm 37, a psalm that has brought me comfort in times of setbacks and assurance on occasions when I questioned my own failure to get what I desired. Instead of relying on wishful auspicious utterances, or symbols of good fortune, as a redeemed child of God in Christ Jesus, I must trust in God our Father, do good and depend on his faithful providence:
Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness v 3
And instead of being consumed by the pursuit of my own delights in life, this Psalm tells me to be delighted in God himself instead. And I will get what my heart desires. I don't need to utter empty auspicious sayings wishfully, in the hope that somehow, from some unknown source, my desires for good things in life will be fulfilled. Instead, the Psalmist writes that God will bring about good things in life, if I commit my way to Him:
Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light. And your justice as the noonday. v5, 6
Dear Christian, please join me in living a blessed life. Instead of depending on wishful auspicious sayngs, let us live by God's authentic blessings.
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