“He has broken my strength in midcourse; He has shortened my days. ‘O my God,’ I say, ‘take me not away in the midst of my days – You whose years endure throughout all generations!’ Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but You are the same, and Your years have no end. The children of Your servants shall dwell secure; their offspring shall be established before You.” Psalm 102:23-28
Devotional Thought For The Day
After lamenting his woes of deep physical suffering and intense emotional, spiritual, and social oppression, then praising God for His gift of salvation and His deliverance of His dear people, the psalmist concludes his meditation with these verses. These are the prayers of one who has been reduced to utter humility and repentance. He prays for deliverance, for opportunity to live out a normal life expectancy; reflecting upon his own mortality he is reminded that God is eternal, that He is almighty, that He is sole Creator of this world and universe, that while everything else is in process, God simply IS. He praises God for His great and awesome love and majesty, and affirms God’s blessings for future generations. If one is in Christ, then although our fallen nature is mortal, such believers endure and live forever, for they are joined to Christ Who is eternal and so they have eternal life.
Still the psalmist asserts the value of this present life even in the midst of great sorrows and suffering. We must do the same, regardless of our physical, emotional, or spiritual tribulations. We are invited to lay our case out to God in prayer, and He always delights in the honest and forthright prayers of His dear children, I suppose even when we are complaining. And there are many times which prepare us for our walk through the valley of the shadow of death, when there is nothing left for us to do but to lay ourselves in God’s caring and capable hands. We will do the same when our days in this world come to an end. He has promised us many things along with His redemption in Christ Jesus, freely and graciously given to us. So we are left with the struggle of faith – which our sinful nature despises, but which is precious to God, and cherished by Him.
There is more that the psalmist reminds us of, and which he takes great comfort in. Everything in this world will ultimately perish to be recreated and made new. When He raises us from death we will not take up once again the somewhat futile life that we currently have. We will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is. [1 Jn. 3:2] He will make all things new. [Rev. 21:5] The new world will be a place where righteousness and goodness reigns and dwells [2 Pet. 3:13], and where there is no more sin and evil [Rev. 21:27]. Then there will be no more lamentation, for “death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” [Rev. 21:4] We yearn for this, not even so much for ourselves as for our dear loved ones, for it is certain that we are capable of experiencing great pain and sorrow, but it is intolerable to watch our dear loved ones suffer. Then God’s servants, and their children, will indeed dwell secure and be established before God forever.
It is only in view of God’s great love, redemption, forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life that the psalmist can continue to praise Him and put faith and trust in Him even in the midst of great suffering and anguish. While such faith is commendable, perhaps even heroic, this is the blessed faith and trust in God to which we also are called. And God will provide it – even when we are struggling with our doubt and unbelief, as the psalmist was. For as all of Scripture teaches, we are saved by God’s grace from beginning to end; while there are many things on our side which compromise our love for God, “nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” [Rom. 8:39] So let us get on with our living, in full faith and trust in God, looking forward to the good things to come, and setting an example for the generations to come, that they also may believe and join us in praising the Lord.
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus, thanks and praise be to You for the wonders of Your love, for Your patience with our whining and puling, for keeping us close to You even when our faith and strength is failing, for promising great things to us, and for always keeping Your Word. Our life in this world is secure and meaningful, whether we live or die. Our eternal life and blessedness is secured by Your blood atonement. Help us to look forward to all things with faith and joy, forever praising and worshiping You. Amen.