Forever in a Second
Psalms 89:46–52
“How long, LORD? Will You hide Yourself forever? How long will Your wrath burn like fire? Remember how fleeting is my life. For what futility You have created all humanity! Who can live and not see death, or who can escape the power of the grave? LORD, where is Your former great love, which in your faithfulness You swore to David? Remember, LORD, how Your servant has been mocked, how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations, the taunts with which your enemies, LORD, have mocked, with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one. Praise be to the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.”
In Lewis Carroll’s classic favourite, Alice in Wonderland, Alice asks, “How long is forever?” The White Rabbit responds, “Sometimes, just one second.” In times of trouble, we may think God is hidden and we may think we have been enduring for a long time, it seems never-ending almost forever. Elsewhere, king David travailed, “How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me (Psa 13:1–2)?” In the face of hardships, let us praise God (v. 52, Job 1:21) and lean in, despite His discipline or allowing suffering, in Himself we find the very comfort, strength, and peace, not found in anything else. The writer of Hebrews reminds us of a steady posture of trust in God alone that even and especially in difficult times we look to our heavenly Father and not depend on earthly treasures, “keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me (Heb 13:5–6)?” The LORD said, “do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matt 6:19–21).” Our treasure is the LORD, and in spite of what we go through in our lives, we can praise Him for His great love that’s always there even in our tired and often myopic perspective, and thank Him for His goodness and sustenance, behind it all is the joy He brings we can tap into it, anytime and always: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (I Thes 5:16-18)!”
“How long, LORD? Will You hide Yourself forever? How long will Your wrath burn like fire? Remember how fleeting is my life. For what futility You have created all humanity! Who can live and not see death, or who can escape the power of the grave? LORD, where is Your former great love, which in your faithfulness You swore to David? Remember, LORD, how Your servant has been mocked, how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations, the taunts with which your enemies, LORD, have mocked, with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one. Praise be to the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.”
In Lewis Carroll’s classic favourite, Alice in Wonderland, Alice asks, “How long is forever?” The White Rabbit responds, “Sometimes, just one second.” In times of trouble, we may think God is hidden and we may think we have been enduring for a long time, it seems never-ending almost forever. Elsewhere, king David travailed, “How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me (Psa 13:1–2)?” In the face of hardships, let us praise God (v. 52, Job 1:21) and lean in, despite His discipline or allowing suffering, in Himself we find the very comfort, strength, and peace, not found in anything else. The writer of Hebrews reminds us of a steady posture of trust in God alone that even and especially in difficult times we look to our heavenly Father and not depend on earthly treasures, “keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me (Heb 13:5–6)?” The LORD said, “do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matt 6:19–21).” Our treasure is the LORD, and in spite of what we go through in our lives, we can praise Him for His great love that’s always there even in our tired and often myopic perspective, and thank Him for His goodness and sustenance, behind it all is the joy He brings we can tap into it, anytime and always: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (I Thes 5:16-18)!”
Comments
Post a Comment