'My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever' Psalm 73:26.
I never thought much till now of this verse as literal, that flesh and heart will fail, in actual fact: That as we are made of dust, so to dust we shall return. I only thought of the sensations of flesh and heart failing as a result of various trials. In these trials, 'God is the strength of my heart', and he can bring us through the trials to his own praise and glory.
However, that literal flesh and heart, the intricately and fearfully and wonderfully made clay of our physical frame, will one day fail, and our spirits fly away to God who gave them: these things were not nearly as much in my thoughts as they are now. But why should these things surprise us? We have been warned of them from the beginning (Genesis 3:18).
Newton was familiar with the literality of these things in his hymn, 'Amazing Grace':
Yes, when this heart and flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease:
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of health and peace.
Yes, when all the causes of disease and death and lack of peace are finally rooted out, why should we not hope to enjoy 'a life of health and peace'? But perhaps the promise of Psalm 73 is better still: to have God as our portion for ever. What an amazingly large and broad hope this is! To have Father, Son, and Holy Ghost as our own portion or possession; and not just for a limited period, but for ever. This truly staggers mind and heart and all our mental powers. Yet it is true. Let us rejoice in it and hope for it to the end.
Happy the man whose hopes rely
On Israel’s God: He made the sky,
And earth, and seas, with all their train:
His truth for ever stands secure;
He saves th’oppressed, He feeds the poor,
And none shall find His promise vain.
The Lord has eyes to give the blind;
The Lord supports the sinking mind;
He sends the labouring conscience peace;
He helps the stranger in distress,
The widow, and the fatherless,
And grants the pris’ner sweet release.
He loves His saints, He knows them well,
But turns the wicked down to hell;
Thy God, O Zion! ever reigns:
Let every tongue, let every age,
In this exalted work engage;
Praise Him in everlasting strains.
I’ll praise Him while He lends me breath,
And when my voice is lost in death,
Praise shall employ my nobler powers;
My days of praise shall ne’er be past,
While life, and thought, and being last,
Or immortality endures.
Isaac Watts
Dear Douglas,
ReplyDeleteI became acquainted with your blog today through a link from Tim Challies' blog. I have been reading several of your entries and they have been a balm to my soul. Lately, I have been facing a trial and holding on to the only Truth that makes sense to me - that God is my portion and strength, my refuge and peace. He never fails. I say this will tears streaming down my face because letting go of all other hopes, dreams, and "loves" is a painful process.
I will be praying for you as you face your final battle. I'm thankful for learning about your blog and for the ways that your words will encourage my heart.
After pastoring in the church for 32 years, my husband and I are serving a mission agency and training school on the border of Mexico in the state of Texas. My lineage has ties to Scotland: my mom born in Glasgow. Both sets of grandparents came from Scotland to the US in the early 20th century. Lots of ties to Glasgow, including one grandfather working in the shipyards.
I thank the Lord for your testimony which has encouraged my heart today.
In Christ Alone,
Margie
Dear Douglas,
ReplyDeleteLike Margie, I also found you through Tim Challie's blog post today and have already made mention of you in my private blog in which I record things/people I'm thankful for each day.
Crazy that we will not meet in this life, but we sure will in the next, side by side worshipping our beautiful Saviour. Crazy that God can use such apparent tragedy for His glory. Crazy?
I am 29 and have lost both my parents in the last 6 years, 2 unrelated 'apparent' tragedies. Yet, I also have been on a learning journey, in standing back in awe time and time again, at just how the Lord marvellously displays His glory through my tiny apparently earthly tragedies. Over these 6 years I could tell of so much like you and do tell when I can, of His wonderful works. I kept a public blog for some years similar in title to yours actually, mine was 'a saviour worth singing about'. I will really have to brace myself today not to neglect other duties, and pace myself to read your blog slowly over the next few weeks.
I know over the 6 years HOW SO encouraged I have been and continue to be in reading of other ordinary believers being kept in joy, and striving to keep their joy amidst the to be expected troubles of this life.
Incidently my dad's ticket to meeting His Saviour was also primary liver cancer, so your blog strikes an even more intimate cord with me.
Thanks again SO much. As much as this blog focuses you as you so beautifully articulated in your first post last year, it has a similar though perhaps lesser effect on me too. The blogs I choose to read most days are from those who write about suffering/trials. Although we still like to think times of ease can focus us on Christ, but in fact doesn't, I have learnt these 6 years and counting that suffering/trials uniquely just cause all other unecessary things to grow strangely dim, and only Christ, and eternity with Him matters. I'm grateful that I can through your blog and many others keep these most important matters ever before me even in times of comparitive ease.
Grace and Peace to you.
Liz, UK
Dear Sisters, Thank you so much for writing and giving me the benefit of your experience and wisdom. I am delighted to be linked to you like this through Tim Challies. I just wonder how Tim found my blog.
DeleteThe great and gracious Lord bless you in all your trials, and give you, in due course, an abundant entrance into his glorious kingdom!
In the love of Christ
Douglas
Thanks for your comments again today. Ps 73:26 is my "life verse" -- a blessing in so many ways over the decades of my walk with Christ. Keep writing. db
ReplyDeleteDear David, Thank you for telling me this. The Lord continue to bless you. I will keep writing as long as I am able and have something to say.
DeleteDouglas
Dear Douglas,
ReplyDeleteI too found your blog through a link on Tim Challies' blog.
I am thankful for the thoughtful and purposeful writings which seem to have come from a heart that has a high view of God and has been blessed to meditate on Him and His precious word deeply. I am praying for you and your family as you write and live each day to praise Him until He brings you home.
What a sweet thing to know and be known by Him.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Roberts
Dear Sister in Christ, Thank you for kind words, and for your prayers. The Lord be with you.
DeleteDouglas