"I lie awake, and am like a sparrow alone on the housetop....My days are like a shadow that lengthens, and I wither away like grass. But You, O Lord, shall endure forever...." (Psalm 102:7, 11, 12)
What kept this lonely, "sparrow," going was the reality and his steadfast commitment to, "But You, O Lord, shall endure forever." And because his faith, his trust, his total dependency was in His Shepherd, Jesus, his life style was governed by the reality of the Lord's Eternality; therefore, he pressed on.
The title of this Psalm in the NKJV (the "default" version I use for these devotionals) is: "The Lord's Eternal Love." We should always keep this fact in mind when we read the Bible, when we get up every morning, live the day, and take our rest at night. Psalm 102 reveals the classic "reality" of life, the deep battle and struggle of the human soul, and, at the same time declares assurance of and in the Living Triune God. The one who was, "alone on the housetop," declared the Messianic prophecy concerning Jesus, later recorded in the Book of Hebrews when that Epistle declared of Jesus (Replacing the pronouns with the actual Name of Jesus), "Jesus' years are throughout all generations. Of old Jesus laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Jesus' hands. They will perish, but Jesus will endure....Jesus is the same, and Jesus' years will have no end." The reason all founders of man's religions do not make such claims is that they did/do not know Jesus; hence, the poor souls who embrace those religions just remain, "alone on the housetop."
Maybe you are not "in" our text, but there are millions on our planet who are; some of them may live with you. Some are in your church. Some are in your place of work, in schools, etc. Loneliness is the plight of mankind, one of the most diabolical realities of mankind since the Garden. But it need not gain the victory over any. Accepting the Words of God as revealed in Psalm 102 will insure victory, will ensure, "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me," will ensure, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust him," will ensure, "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me." In Jesus, that "sparrow" gets a new song.
Father, in Jesus' Name, I am thankful that this little "sparrow" has always had, "They will perish, but You will endure." Amen.
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Be sure to check articles and my commentaries on today's global events at: jhs58.blogspot.com
What kept this lonely, "sparrow," going was the reality and his steadfast commitment to, "But You, O Lord, shall endure forever." And because his faith, his trust, his total dependency was in His Shepherd, Jesus, his life style was governed by the reality of the Lord's Eternality; therefore, he pressed on.
The title of this Psalm in the NKJV (the "default" version I use for these devotionals) is: "The Lord's Eternal Love." We should always keep this fact in mind when we read the Bible, when we get up every morning, live the day, and take our rest at night. Psalm 102 reveals the classic "reality" of life, the deep battle and struggle of the human soul, and, at the same time declares assurance of and in the Living Triune God. The one who was, "alone on the housetop," declared the Messianic prophecy concerning Jesus, later recorded in the Book of Hebrews when that Epistle declared of Jesus (Replacing the pronouns with the actual Name of Jesus), "Jesus' years are throughout all generations. Of old Jesus laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Jesus' hands. They will perish, but Jesus will endure....Jesus is the same, and Jesus' years will have no end." The reason all founders of man's religions do not make such claims is that they did/do not know Jesus; hence, the poor souls who embrace those religions just remain, "alone on the housetop."
Maybe you are not "in" our text, but there are millions on our planet who are; some of them may live with you. Some are in your church. Some are in your place of work, in schools, etc. Loneliness is the plight of mankind, one of the most diabolical realities of mankind since the Garden. But it need not gain the victory over any. Accepting the Words of God as revealed in Psalm 102 will insure victory, will ensure, "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me," will ensure, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust him," will ensure, "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me." In Jesus, that "sparrow" gets a new song.
Father, in Jesus' Name, I am thankful that this little "sparrow" has always had, "They will perish, but You will endure." Amen.
************************
Be sure to check articles and my commentaries on today's global events at: jhs58.blogspot.com
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
