The Brevity of Life

I will exalt you, Lord, for you rescued me.

You refused to let my enemies triumph over me.

O Lord, my God, I cried to you for help,

And you restored my health.

You brought me up from the grave, O Lord.

You kept me from falling into the pit of death.

Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones!

Praise his holy name.

For his anger lasts only a moment,

But his favor lasts a lifetime!

Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes in the morning.

When I was prosperous, I said ‘Nothing can stop me now!’

Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain.

Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered.

I cried out to you, O Lord.

I begged the Lord for mercy, saying, ‘What will you gain if I die, if I sink into the grave?

Can my dust praise you? Can it tell of your faithfulness?

Hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me. Help me, O Lord.’

You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.

You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,

That I might sing praises to you and not be silent.

O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!

–Psalm 30

Americans often feel in control of their destiny and their future. I think it comes from our “pull yourselves up from your own bootstraps” mentality and the idea that we can make choices that will determine the course of our life, negatively or positively.

Our choices matter, and we should make good ones. We should be proactive, make plans that honor God and honor our bodies as His temples. We should be watchful of dangers and diligent to use the brains and brawns that God has given us to make the best choices we can minute-by-minute, day-by-day, year-by-year, for all times. We should take responsibility for the portions of our life we can to some degree control and be willing to apologize for the ways we do not live up to the best of our God given wisdom.

That said, we are absolutely NOT in control. Bad things happen to good people all the time. And, the rain falls on the godly and the ungodly.

We are sustained by His grace and His will. Evil is real; it attacks and maims. It hurts and destroys. Yet, His sovereignty is perfect.

Have you prayed to God lately thanking him for sustaining and preserving your life so that you may praise Him and bring Him glory? Do we even think about such things as Independent Americans in control of our own future?

I certainly didn’t—until I moved to a land where every day I NEED HIM. I really need Him. My American, independent, pull myself up by my own bootstraps background is no help to me here. Daily, our lives are in His hands.

I felt this truth acutely again in the last month when our family contracted a potentially life-threatening mosquito borne disease that has no medical treatment available and no vaccine, Dengue Fever.

I don’t mean to frighten or be overly dramatic. Dengue Fever isn’t a death sentence; many people have light cases that are similar to a common flu. My point is that DAILY our life is in HIS HANDS, whether we live in America OR across the ocean— One red light missed, one mistake switching lanes, one cancer screen, one wrong place at the wrong time, one “whatever that could happen.”

We use wisdom to prevent mosquito bites and try to make good choices to prevent our exposure. We use mosquito nets at night. We use mosquito rackets during the day. We put on mosquito repellent lotion. We do what we can. But we are absolutely not in control–we still get bit often.

I can not count on my “good choices” to provide a long life of physical health.

I can count on God to be there with me despite what happens.

I can count on God’s people to rally around me in prayer and petition.

I can count on God to be there with me when I am afraid.

I can count on God to be there with me as I lay sick.

I can count on God to be there with me in my desperation.

I am dependent on God to sustain my life.

I am dependent on God’s people to support me in my physical and spiritual trials.

I will not put my hope in my own ability.

I will not put my hope in my excellent medical care.

I will not put my hope in my independence or my good choices.

He alone is the giver of life and the sustainer of life. Death is not our enemy because it no longer has power over us: we also have died with Christ, and we will again be raised to life with him.

It may be true that the “safest place to be is in the center of God’s will.” But also, “God is not safe, but He is good.”

We are not always “safe”, but God is always, always good.

May He give us all long lives that we may bring His Name glory, and be a witness for the hope that we have in Jesus Christ which conquers Death.

“Teach us the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.”

Psalm 90: 12