Numbering My Days

Tag: salvation

  • Psalm 49

    They trust in their wealth
    and boast in their abundant riches.
    Yet these cannot redeem a person
    or pay his ransom to God –
    since the price of redeeming him is
    too costly.

    Here is the stark truth of our world – and the glorious redemption.

    We cannot buy, or earn, our way into an eternity with God. He is not bought or impressed by earthly riches. (He owns it all!)

    So, there is no ransom for me in the accumulation of stuff or power. No sense in trusting any of this. The price for my redemption is too costly.

    Praise God from whom all blessings flow: He has paid the redemption price for me,

    for us,

    for all who will believe and recognize Jesus as Lord.

    God will redeem me, the Psalmist declares. And, HE HAS!

    I cannot pay the price.

    He already has.

    A last look at the ram’s horn.

  • Psalm 42

    As a deer longs for flowing streams,
    so I long for you, God.
    I thirst for God, the living God.

    Some days.

    Sometimes.

    It just feels like God’s presence is far away.

    I long for it – like a deer looking for a bit of water on a hot, dusty day.

    How may I quench this thirst for the presence of the living God in my life? For the stirring of the Holy Spirit, reviving me again?

    I know – this dry space is a place of my own making. I marched confidently off into this desert, thinking, “I have plenty of God, enough resources, all I’ll ever need.”

    But I find I don’t. I don’t have nearly enough.

    I want God’s living water poured out over me, streaming into my desert.

    Lord, my hope is in you.

    My Savior. My God.

    Note: The above illustration, inspired by this Psalm, v. 7 is where I’ve temporarily halted waterfall illustrations. Although I started another one . . . I may never be satisified with this image. I have something in my mind that I want to convey, just can’t seem to get it to come out right. I’ll keep trying. If I ever get a waterfall that makes me smile – I’ll share it. Meanwhile, “deep calls to deep . . .”

  • Psalm 39

    Now, LORD, what do I wait for?
    My hope is in you.

    In the midst of my enemies, or

    the trials of life, or

    in recognizing the brevity of life –

    and the vanity of wealth

    and the mire of sin with righteous judgment:

    in all these – right at the heart of all them – there is hope.

    I hope in the Lord.

    He guards my steps and makes my path. He sees my sin and both holds me accountable and offers redemption from the deserved end.

    So there is hope . . .

    And in the hope of Christ I wait for the gracious mercy of my Lord to rescue me from self – and the enemy.

    (If you haven’t already, take a few moments to read the entire Psalm 39. It’s a powerful reminder of the hope we may have.)

    On the way to the final image.

  • Psalm 38

    There is no soundness in my body
    because of your indignation;
    there is no health in my bones
    because of my sin.

    I have a handwritten note in my Bible at this point: the effects of sin.

    – Physical illness
    – The weight of guilt – both psychological and spiritual
    – The infection of unrepentant sin
    – Backbreaking weight of grief
    – Weakness in all my body
    – Crushing realization of my own culpability

    I groan in anguish.

    Lord, do not abandon me.

    My only cry!

    My God, do not be far from me!

    Hurry to help me, my Lord, my salvation.

    Only in you, your presence, your forgiveness, mercy, and grace will I be healed.

    Lord, save!

    Another attempt – not what I was looking for. . .

  • Psalm 32

    How joyful is the one
    whose transgression
    is forgiven,
    whose sin is covered!

    Forgiven sin results in joy because of the true nature of joy.

    Joy is the absence of conflict – especially the absence of conflict between me and God.

    My sin causes that conflict to erupt, and maintains the state of chaos until I’m able, again, to be at peace with the Lord, to rest in His presence.

    I cannot manufacture this state of restored peace with God. I’m unable, because of my sin, to do anything to resolve the conflict because His nature is Holy and He can have nothing to do with me.

    Unless He covers my sin.

    Praise the Lord!

    I can have that peace,

    experience that joy –

    because He forgives and the sacrifice Christ has made, of Himself, covers my sin.

    What joy!

  • Psalm 31

    LORD, I seek refuge in you;
    let me never be disgraced.
    Save me by your righteousness.

    One of the adversary’s favorite, oft’ believed lies is that somehow we – I – can live in such a way that I have earned or deserve salvation.

    The Word of God is so clear on this point, however.

    From the mercy shown to Adam, to the wisdom of David, and especially in the gospels, it becomes very clear.

    Very plain.

    The salvation I enjoy is from God’s righteousness – not my own.

    That He deigns to bestow it as a gift is so obvious. Yet we humans too often believe that we can or must live our way into His good graces.

    Only Christ has completed the journey fully righteous. In Him and in Him alone is my refuge.

    Praise Him!

  • Psalm 27

    The LORD is my light
    and my salvation –
    whom should I fear?
    The LORD is the stronghold of my life –
    whom should I dread?

    David had unshakeable confidence and courage based in his Lord – Yahweh.

    Amazing!

    Though surrounded by enemies, hounded by even those he sought to serve, David remained convinced that the Lord, who had protected him in the past, would protect him again today, and in the future.

    I need confidence like that!

    And a memory of what the Lord has done for me to fuel that courage.

    Lord, bring to my mind all the glorious moments you have been my Savior,

    Provider,

    Protector.

    In you I have full confidence that you will guide and protect me – in all the days ahead.

    All the days!

  • Psalm 26

    Test me, LORD, and try me;
    examine my heart and mind.
    For your faithful love guides me,
    and I live by your truth..

    David had amazing confidence in his relationship with the Lord – and must have been diligent in his spiritual life. Amazing: to challenge the Lord to examine him, to test him because he was certain of his integrity before the Lord.

    This must have been “the David” – the man after God’s heart.

    Lord, my confidence is only in Jesus Christ.

    In Him I stand before you and can withstand the scrutiny of your righteous judgment.

    Without Christ I am guilty.

    Full of insecurity.

    I know my heart is not pure.

    My confidence, though, is in Christ!

    In Christ alone, my hope is found.

  • Psalm 25

    Remember, LORD, your compassion
    and your faithful love,
    for they have existed from antiquity.
    Do not remember the sins of my youth
    or my acts of rebellion;
    in keeping with your faithful love,
    remember me
    because of your goodness, LORD.

    This is my prayer: that the Lord would remember His own faithfulness and love, and somehow forget my sin and rebellion.

    I know that God does just that – through Jesus Christ. He is faithful, and He recalls His faithfulness because He is good.

    Not me.

    He doesn’t remember because of my need or deeds, but because of His nature.

    He is faithful.

    He is love.

    He grants mercy for His sake.

  • Psalm 22

    My God, my God, why have you
    abandoned me? . . .
    Their descendants will serve him; . . .
    they will declare what he has done.

    Jesus, on the cross, quoted this Psalm.

    Yes, I think He was alone, abandoned by all – even the Father who could not bear to be in the presence of sin. And He carried all the sin of the world, including mine, to that moment on the cross.

    This Psalm also declares the victory won by the righteous one, the suffering servant. I’m certain this was on Jesus’ mind as He quoted this Psalm.

    And so today, along with generations before me, I will “declare what He has done.”

    Sin and death defeated.

    The grave overcome.

    The good news of a restored relationship with the Father because of the faithful Jesus on the cross.

    My God!