Bible Bites
Deadly Serious with the Lord
There is never a time when we should be less than serious with the Lord. If we understood the awesomeness of the Lord, we would never even use the term ‘fooling around’ in a spiritual context. But the term ‘serious’ does not always mean a contorted face with scalding tears. It also means just being completely truthful and forthright with the Lord. Actually, that’s the way we should always be – transparent in His presence.
King David was deadly serious with the Lord. In the context of Psalm 39, his face probably was contorted and the tears seemed to flow from an endless source. He was very ill. He felt he had been stricken sick by the Lord. His family was so afraid of contracting the illness – they kept their distance. To make matters worse, his enemies were unrelenting. They didn’t suspend their attacks just because he was critically ill.
David seemed certain that the pain and fever he was enduring was the chastising hand of God for some sin he had committed. By the way, it is never your business to assume or guess ‘why’ someone is going through a rough time. Nor is it ever your business to suggest ‘why’ something is happening to another believer. That’s between them and the Lord.
In David’s case, we are getting a glimpse into his very private life with the Lord – his innermost thoughts. He was at his whit’s end: ‘I can’t take this any longer’ type of thinking. He was determined not to fly-off-the handle about his horrible situation in front of sinners. He was afraid he was going to erupt like a volcano and spew out his lava of bitterness and condemn the Lord in the presence of sinners. That he did not want to do.
David did the right thing. He went directly to the Lord with the anguish of his heart. He confessed his foolish sins. “Please, Lord, tell me what’s going on. My sin was foolish. I confess my sin in Your Presence but now Lord, please step in and give me some relief. I can’t take this any longer. It is enough. I know I was wrong. Is my life ending? Is there a future for me? My time on earth, even under the best of circumstances is very, very short in contrast to the eternal ages. I don’t have long to live my short life. I want to put this behind me so the rest of my brief life can be used to do good things that are pleasing to You. I can’t end this myself, O Lord. My hope is in You.”
“O LORD, make me know my end
and what is the measure of my days;
let me know how fleeting I am!
Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah
Surely a man goes about as a shadow!
.Man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!
“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.
(Psalm 39:4-7)
Do you have some business to do with the Lord so you can get on with the rest of your brief life? Do you need to be deadly serious in His presence? There is no better time than now to get it straightened out. Your life is slipping by.
Walk carefully and closely with the Lord today.
Warmly in Christ
Peter Ramsay