Psalm 103:15-17a
Our days on earth are like grass;
like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
The wind blows, and we are gone—
as though we had never been here.
But the love of the Lord remains forever
with those who fear him.
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Does it seem very often like your life is as swift as that of a wildflower? Born, grown, flowered, withered, and died. All in the span of one short summer? Sometimes my life feels like it’s dragging on beyond my capacity for sanity. There are other times, of course, when time seems to go rather quickly. The old adage, time flies when you’re having fun, certainly has a strong basis in the truth. Interestingly, especially in reflection of these verses I’ve selected to talk about today, there are also moments in life where time both goes swiftly but also seems to feel very long.
This week happens to be one of those weeks for me. Having been offered the privilege of a short volunteering opportunity through my church, to work with children, attempting to help them know God, I’ve had very little time to relax. My days have become a routine of almost constant movement until I fall into bed all but exhausted at the end of the day, just to wake up and do it all over again the next. I’m sure you have had weeks, or perhaps even months, like that in your life. Some lives are full of days, weeks, months, and even years of such a tiring pattern. Perhaps David, the Holy Spirit’s pen for this psalm of praise, recalled the times when he was on the run from king Saul as he wrote these words?
You might be thinking, why would anyone write about life seeming incredibly short if they were thinking about times in their life that felt exhaustively long? Answer? Perspective. You’ve heard me say it before, and I’m certain you’ll hear me say it again: perspective dictates your reality, and when God’s children are feeling small, tired, and weak, it is then that God’s Spirit of perspective is our great relief and joy.
Forever is a really long time; I’ll never forget that thanks to my dad repeating it early and often throughout my childhood. Eighty years in comparison to forever doesn’t even really compare. It’s like trying to compare one small planet to the vastness of the ever expanding universe. Actually that’s a really good comparison because one planet is small and the universe, as far as human knowledge can tell, keeps on growing. Forever is the same way. Forever doesn’t have an end point. It just keeps on going. So, when we realize that our lives are, without any doubt, eternal, and, what’s better, that we get to spend that eternity finally freed from the clutches of our sinful flesh and this sinful world, we gain a great deal of reality shaping perspective.
Praise God for sending His Holy Spirit to remind us of the truth of the time frame of our lives. Our lives will be lived forever, and ninety-nine point nine repeating percent of those lives will be lived in perfect service to our Amazing and Graceful God. Grass? Wildflowers? Dust? Yes, those are all things that are here today and gone tomorrow, “but the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear Him.” Praise God! Praise God for the renewed reminder that if I need rest, I know right were to go to find it! Praise God for the very clear and inescapable perspective that this life? This life is indelibly short, and forever is a really long time.
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Father God, thank You for reminding me that this life, though it may be full of trouble and sorrow, is not even a molecule of water in the everflowing fountain of Your eternal grace and mercy. Forgive me for letting the light and momentary troubles of this life pull my eyes away from Your eternal love. Increase Your Holy Spirit within me, Father, that I might joyfully remember, always, in all ways, at all times, that Your love never ends. Send me out full of that sure faith and joy to tell others of the lasting peace and comfort that is found in Your only Son. In His Most Holy Name, Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.
bibleramblings 
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