One of my mentor's when I was a young Bible College professor had grown up on an Alberta farm. He tended to speak honestly and bluntly like many farmers I have known. He shared with me that people quickly move on when a leader departs by giving the example (not original with him): "if you want to know how much you will be missed, put your fist in a pail of water and then pull it out." He made his point, although I think most leaders leave a little longer legacy than that.
I was reminded of this when I read the psalmist's description of a human life. He was very impressed with the eternity of God who is in his words, "from everlasting to everlasting". (By the way I love Brian Doerksen's song by that title.) In contrast the psalmist challenges us to remember the brevity of our lives.
In today's reading his life, human lives, my life and yours are pictured in all their frailty like this.
"For my days vanish like smoke" (102:3); "my days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass" (102:11); "we are dust" (103:14); "as for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the fields; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more." 103:15, 16)
Pretty negative thinking for someone just entering a career, or just starting a family, or just getting to the top of the ladder, or in retirement years. Why all that worry and effort if you are as permanent as a shadow or smoke? Compared to human history one life of 70 or 80 years is rather short. Compared to the age of our earth, our time on this planet seems very brief. Compared to the everlasting, eternal God - put your fist into that pail of water and pull it out.
Have I helped you have a mildly depressed day? :) Of course the psalmist writes words like these and others for more than negative reasons. One reason is so that we are challenged to make the most of our days. (Psalm 90:12) Another larger reason is to keep us humble and dependent upon God.
But if his word pictures have been dreary, I love his very encouraging comment in the midst of these pessimistic (realistic?) reminders. Because God knows all about our brevity and frailty; "As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him." (103:13) And if you keep reading in this psalm you are reminded that although your life may be brief, the Lord's love for us is "from everlasting to everlasting." Your life may be much shorter than you expect and probably shorter than you would wish. But if you are a biblical believer, don't let that discourage you. Here is a huge part of the great Good News. Nothing in this life or the next can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38, 39)
I was reminded of this when I read the psalmist's description of a human life. He was very impressed with the eternity of God who is in his words, "from everlasting to everlasting". (By the way I love Brian Doerksen's song by that title.) In contrast the psalmist challenges us to remember the brevity of our lives.
In today's reading his life, human lives, my life and yours are pictured in all their frailty like this.
"For my days vanish like smoke" (102:3); "my days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass" (102:11); "we are dust" (103:14); "as for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the fields; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more." 103:15, 16)
Pretty negative thinking for someone just entering a career, or just starting a family, or just getting to the top of the ladder, or in retirement years. Why all that worry and effort if you are as permanent as a shadow or smoke? Compared to human history one life of 70 or 80 years is rather short. Compared to the age of our earth, our time on this planet seems very brief. Compared to the everlasting, eternal God - put your fist into that pail of water and pull it out.
Have I helped you have a mildly depressed day? :) Of course the psalmist writes words like these and others for more than negative reasons. One reason is so that we are challenged to make the most of our days. (Psalm 90:12) Another larger reason is to keep us humble and dependent upon God.
But if his word pictures have been dreary, I love his very encouraging comment in the midst of these pessimistic (realistic?) reminders. Because God knows all about our brevity and frailty; "As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him." (103:13) And if you keep reading in this psalm you are reminded that although your life may be brief, the Lord's love for us is "from everlasting to everlasting." Your life may be much shorter than you expect and probably shorter than you would wish. But if you are a biblical believer, don't let that discourage you. Here is a huge part of the great Good News. Nothing in this life or the next can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38, 39)
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