Saturday April 2, 2011

Read Psalm 23

I’ve done many many funerals over the past decade. The number could be as many as 100.  In both Christian and non Christian funerals (other stats agree with me here) the most common Bible passage read is Psalm 23. But read the Psalm again carefully and see what it says about death and dying.  Take a moment to examine the Psalm and write a sentence what it tells you about death and dying. Use the space below to record your thoughts.

...

Interestingly, as I read the Psalm I see nothing about death and dying. David is about to walk through some situation that is described as the Valley of the shadow of death.  Death is near David. He might die but it’s only the shadow of death.  Death itself is not present. But even though he walks near death the Lord is with him. The Lord is comforting him, directing him and moving him onwards. It’s a Psalm about life and life eternal with God. It’s not about death at all!

Even as his enemies gather and plan his demise David is confident in the Lord. He is so confident that he can dine with the Lord. It’s a picture of celebration and feasting. It’s a picture of victory.  It’s a picture of life, not death.

In fact, David is so confident that he can declare that he will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. The goodness and love of God will be with him each day and after this life is finished he knows he’ll be with God for all eternity.

As you gather for your church meeting tomorrow, you are dwelling in the house of the Lord. God will be with you and will walk among you. The Lord will be present and the fellowship, the praise and adoration, the singing and the Word are all a foretaste of heaven.  What you experience tomorrow is but a small fraction of the joy, the bliss, the perfection of heaven.  Tomorrow at church, how can you build on this truth? How can you be a blessing to others? How can you serve at church tomorrow? How can you give others a small taste of heaven?

Prayer:-

þ Pray that tomorrow’s service will indeed be a taste of heaven for everyone. Pray that God works greatly and powerfully among you.

þ Pray that you would be able to serve others and bless them. Pray that the Word of God would be powerful and active among you.