Psalm 118: 17-29
17 I will not die, but live, And tell of the works of [f]the Lord.
Have you ever been through a time in your life that was just so hard, you thought it would be easier to lay down and die, rather than get up and fight on? Well, I have, a couple of times actually. I actually spoke to the Lord and told Him I thought this was just too hard t get through, too hard to survive. I told Him I wanted to die. But I heard Him gently whisper in my Spirit telling me, “Only One death was necessary, Carole, to cover all this. I died that death for you.”
18 [g]The Lord has disciplined me severely, But He has not given me over to death.
Some of the time, my hard times were caused by others; other times, they were caused by sin inside of me. Either way, they were just as difficult. Sometimes, things just happened that were out of my control completely, no one was at fault, they just happened. I struggled with “blameshifting” for quite a while when I was younger. I didn’t want to look at my own sins and faults. But one of the greatest gifts God ever gives to us, is the freedom to take a long hard look at ourselves, and then bring all of that “gunk” to Him. Jesus died for that Gunk, that sin, those rebellions; whatever you want to call it. I always wanted to know why something happened and whose fault it was. Now, not so much, because I have learned that “who is to blame,” is not the point. His forgiveness, His love, His deliverance, His restoration of our broken lives…those are the point.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness; I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to [h]the Lord. 20 This is the gate of the Lord; The righteous will enter through it. 21 I shall give thanks to You, for You have answered me, And You have become my salvation.
22 The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone. 23 This is [i]the Lord’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.
O, Jesus, you have opened the gates of forgiveness, freedom and restoration for us through laying down Your own life, giving us Your own righteousness. Thanks You, Precious Lord.
24 This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it. 25 O Lord, do save, we beseech You; O Lord, we beseech You, do send prosperity! 26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord; We have blessed you from the house of the Lord. 27 The Lord is God, and He has given us light; Bind the festival sacrifice with cords [j]to the horns of the altar. 28 You are my God, and I give thanks to You; You are my God, I extol You. 29 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Father God, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit,
You have called me to life. I will die sometime, we all do, but You have called me to life, and to love, and to grace, and righteousness, and peace. Thank You, Precious King, for Your great love.
Get me through this really hard thing, I am dealing with now. You have always brought me through and You always will. I love you, My God and King. But even more wonderful than that, is the truth that, “You loved me first.” I could not love, without Your love.
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