Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 103:13-18
Ps. 103:13-18
13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16 the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. 17 But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children--18 with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.
Luke 16:19-22
19 "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried.
There is no fact that is universally accepted by people of every nation to be true but ignored than death. While we all know it is coming, we try to think it will be for others, or if for us, it will be at some VERY distant time. Because of this kind of thinking, most people fail to make proper plans to die. At age twenty life seems to be forever but even at a hundred, life seemed to pass quickly and is soon gone.
In the story of Lazarus we see that as a beggar, he died. His death probably would be somewhat unnoticed. The towns people would most likely bury him in some public unmarked grave without any pomp or ceremony. But notice that “the rich man also died.” We can only imagine the fine funeral with all of the family friends and business acquaintances following his death. We would say today that he went out in style. But they both equally died. No position in life can escape death.
The writer of Hebrews says that we not only die but we will all face judgment. No matter how important or wealthy or loved we are here on earth, we all die and then we will stand before our maker to give an account of how we have lived. We have only two choices in this life. We can either serve God in Jesus Christ or we can serve self and sin and therefore serve Satan.
Heavenly Father help me live my live today as if I knew it would be my last day on earth. While I don’t want to be negative or morbid, I need to be ever aware of the brevity of life and the surety of both death and judgment. But as I live for you with the assurance that “there is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” I am filled with hope and joy that death will only be a transition from this world of sin and trouble to your eternal home of bliss. Forgive me when I fail and use me to help others live for you also. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
