The difference between God and man is mortality. God is, always was, and always will be. We are mortal, since Adam and Eve sinned and we carry the death penalty.
However, God has prepared a place for us after we die in this first death–the one all of mankind faces. He provided a savior, Jesus Christ, who allows us the certainty of eternity if we follow His commands and accept that God wants only our worship. We will not suffer the second death–eternity without the presence of God. If we think life here is chaos, imagine all of Satan’s power unleashed forever on those who do not worship Jesus as Lord.
So much of our life is spent selfishly. We have many monikers for it: Do your own thing! Eat, drink, and be merry! We adopt all kinds of causes which please us, sometimes passionately: fine food, designer fashions, remodeled houses, creature comforts, vacations, entertainment, beauty spas, and pleasure. God’s word says: “Don’t be selfish; don’t live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. Don’t think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing.” (Philippians 2:2-3) Instead, follow God’s promise: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plants to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on Me, and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.'”
On this Lord’s Day, begin your journey to follow Christ. Find a Bible-believing church. You don’t have to “clean up” to meet God. He knows you from the moment of your conception. He knows everything about you, and invites you to humbly come to Him as a seeker. Don’t worry about what others think. Churches are made for sick people. All of us who worship God know our own frailties, and that God loves us just the same–so much that He sacrificed His Son, Jesus, so that He could guide our lives. Yes, we are all hypocrites. We don’t love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, and there is not one in the church or out of it who is perfect. We admit that. We are all sinful creatures in need of salvation. Come as you are and learn of Him. That’s the invitation. You’ll be eternally glad you did.
In this world of chaos, danger, difficulties, crime, self-centeredness, depravity, and deception, Jesus stands to defy all that and to present us righteous before God. In no other religion does a god reach down to us. All others depend on our trying–and failing–to reach God. Christianity is different. We depend on God’s grace to deliver us from this sinful world, even while we live in its boundaries.
My Psalm today is titled Mortality. We need not fear death if we know Christ. I invite you to walk this life journey with me and the millions of Christians who know God’s love rather than His wrath. Become one of us while this earth remains and become part of the eternal worship of God through Jesus Christ.
MY PSALM 326 MORTALITY
Abba, Father, God of creation, Lover of our souls,
You have known us eternally
And formed us according to Your purpose
To live in this time and place.
Your Psalm 139 tells us
That even as we were being formed in the womb
You knew the time of our death.
Your infinite plan for us.
You even number our hairs.
Why then, does mankind long to do as He pleases
When You have created us for Your purposes?
“So teach us to number our days that we may
Get a heart of wisdom.”[1]
From the moment of Adam’s sin
Man has feared death.
But through Christ’s resurrection
Your saints look forward to our homecoming time
To spend eternity in Your Presence
Where there will be no more tears.
Your word is clear. I am precious in Your sight.
“You have kept count of my tossings;
Put my tears in your bottle.
Are they not recorded in your book?[2]
Then my enemies will turn back
In the day when I call.
This I know, that God is for me.
In God, whose word I praise,
In the LORD, whose word I praise,
In God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
We know You lead us in the valley[3]
Of the shadow of death,
That You shepherd us through this life
And beyond.
What then, is there to fear?
And Your word tells us that
“Precious in the sight of the Lord
Is the death of His saints.” [4]
We thank You Lord
For Your grace and mercy
For the comfort You provide
As we face our own death
And suffer the loss of others to death.
We believe Your promises
And thank You for the atoning work
Of Your Son, Jesus
In showing us life to come. Amen.
[1] Psalm 90: 12
[2] Psalm 56: 8
[3] Psalm 23
[4] Psalm 116: 15
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