The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 49:10-12,
"For all can see that the wise die, that the foolish and the senseless also perish, leaving their wealth to others. Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves. People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish."
The well known axiom, "The only certainties in life are death and taxes" could find its basis in this psalm. At least the death part. It is inevitable- we all will die one day. It is a truth that most of us probably avoid giving too much contemplation to in our younger years. We have other things on our minds: careers, marriage, raising a family, caring for those we love, pursuing those things that interest us or have our attention, etc.
However, to me, I think it is in those younger years that the contemplation of the temporary nature of our lives has its best yield in the wisdom it could bring into our lives. It is often observed that one can be so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good, but given our life here in this age is relatively short and that our lives following this age will be eternal, whether eternal life or eternal damnation, making choices in this life that have positive impact on the next can only provide for the very best use of our lives here in this age.
The psalm makes the obvious point that wealth, among the top things many people expend their earthly lives for, is of no value when the inevitability hits. That wealth does not go with us when we die and in verses 8-9 we read, "the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough— so that they should live on forever and not see decay." Money is not going to help.
However, something else insures a wonderful eternity for us that we can obtain in this life- righteousness! Proverbs 11:4 tells us, "Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death." This righteousness is something we can acquire here in this life, right here and now.
Paul tells us in Romans 3:21-25a, "But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith."
"For all can see that the wise die, that the foolish and the senseless also perish, leaving their wealth to others. Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves. People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish."
The well known axiom, "The only certainties in life are death and taxes" could find its basis in this psalm. At least the death part. It is inevitable- we all will die one day. It is a truth that most of us probably avoid giving too much contemplation to in our younger years. We have other things on our minds: careers, marriage, raising a family, caring for those we love, pursuing those things that interest us or have our attention, etc.
However, to me, I think it is in those younger years that the contemplation of the temporary nature of our lives has its best yield in the wisdom it could bring into our lives. It is often observed that one can be so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good, but given our life here in this age is relatively short and that our lives following this age will be eternal, whether eternal life or eternal damnation, making choices in this life that have positive impact on the next can only provide for the very best use of our lives here in this age.
The psalm makes the obvious point that wealth, among the top things many people expend their earthly lives for, is of no value when the inevitability hits. That wealth does not go with us when we die and in verses 8-9 we read, "the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough— so that they should live on forever and not see decay." Money is not going to help.
However, something else insures a wonderful eternity for us that we can obtain in this life- righteousness! Proverbs 11:4 tells us, "Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death." This righteousness is something we can acquire here in this life, right here and now.
Paul tells us in Romans 3:21-25a, "But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith."
Placing our faith in Jesus Christ may not bring us money, mansions and all the big toys in this life, but it will certainly bring us a wonderful eternity beyond our wildest dreams!
What will you expend your life for as you contemplate the inevitable?
A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know..
What will you expend your life for as you contemplate the inevitable?
A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know..
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