Shadows and Breaths

"For I am a sojourner 

with you,

a guest, 

like all my fathers."

David writes this recognition of human frailty in to the end of the 39th Psalm. He is speaking to God. He sees that he will soon depart and be no more. That his life is but a breath. In this time he is recognizing the discipline that God has given him, and wonders in the small time left that he has if God would remove his hand of discipline. He wants to smile again and be happy again. David sees here that he is no different from his father and his grandfather and all his ancestors. They are here for a time and then gone. He is a sojourner on this earth. And what are we? We are alike David, here temporarily. Soon to depart in death. We like David say "my lifetime is nothing before you" YHWH, God. We are a breath. We are a shadow. And what must we say to God, that "My hope is in you"; and ask will you "deliver me from all my transgressions"?
Yes.

But do we really want those things? 

Do we really want deliverance from sin? 

To not continually deny the discipline of God

but to put our hope and trust in him?

Is that our true desire? If not then who will save us?

Who will deliver us from this evil world which we, not

the system, propagate?

Yes - we love evil, we love our sin,

We love revenge, pride, lust, money - and all of these above God!

We hate God, and we are guilty before him. 

So what are we left to do?

We must put ourselves in his hands. To hope that he will deliver.

That means to ask him to deliver, not in doubt

but in hope.

Don't try to complicate it. Don't try to excuse yourself. Don't put it off. 

Seek God for deliverance through the Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Through his life, death and resurrection - the gospel - there is deliverance.

God delivers through him, by him and for his glory. 

But will you willingly submit to God? 

Will you willingly give him glory? 

Will you trust him with the love that he came for sinners, 

for this hating world, for this rebellious world? 

Will you respond and love him in obedience? 

Or will he get glory out of your unwilling sinful self 

and cast you away from his presence into hell? 

That is the question.

We are shadows and breaths - let us be used for God's glory willingly. Let us put our hope in Jesus Christ, alone.