When I was in college my best friend and I
were in a music class together which had as a course requirement that we write
a song: lyrics, music, harmonies,
etc. For a couple of musically
challenged individuals, such as we were, it was a stretch. He chose to write his song in a punk
style. It was loud and repetitive, but
it accomplished what the professor assigned … if not what she desired. The song was called, Someone Slipped on a Patch of Ice.
In true sophomoric philosophy we declared as we sang the refrain, “We
all die! We all die! We all die!”
Perhaps it was not the most uplifting song
ever written, but we sure laughed a lot when we sang it. (College kids are weird. I know because I was one.)
The message of that song is pretty much the
same message as Psalm 49 – although the sons of Korah said it a lot more
beautifully! Everyone dies. It is not the happiest of messages, but it is
true.
Verse 20 says, “Man in his pomp yet without
understanding is like the beasts that perish.”
That word “pomp” is also translated as honor, or riches. A straight translation might say, “Mankind in
preciousness and without discernment is like the beasts; they are destroyed.” If we do not discern that our lives are lived
within a period of time and in relationship to our Creator we are no different
than the animals. So in Psalm 90 we are
taught to pray that God teach us to number our days; to recognize the brevity
of our lives that we might live them rightly and not squander them.
The grave awaits everyone. The important thing to understand is that God’s
desire is for us to not be abandoned there.
“But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol (the place of the
dead), for he will receive me.” He has
provided the way through the grave to everlasting life through the death and
resurrection of Jesus.
You see, it is sin that necessitates death,
therefore to live requires a full atonement for our sin – something we cannot
do on our own. “Truly no man can ransom
another, or give to God the price of his life, for the ransom of their life is
costly and can never suffice that he should live on forever and never see the
pit.” Yet Jesus is both Man and God and
in His perfection He is able to ransom every person’s life. The proof of this is Jesus’
resurrection. This is why Paul writes, “If
Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your
sins.” (1 Corinthians 15:17)
Since Jesus has been raised, we are confident
that his blood did indeed pay the ransom for our sins. Because we have been ransomed, we have no
need to fear death, for we can see beyond the grave to a new life; a
resurrection life. As Paul asks, and
states, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ
Jesus were baptized into his death? We
were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as
Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk
in newness of life.” (Romans 6:3-4 ESV)
This is also why we can say with confidence, “For to me to live is
Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians
1:21 ESV)
Life is indeed good, but we will all
die. Yet, in Christ, we can all live
again through faith in Him. He has
ransomed us from the power of death, and even now we live a new life.
Father, help me be mindful that I will die.
Use that knowledge to spur me to seek You, to trust in Jesus, and to
live a life that pleases You. Help me to
live each day by faith through the work of the Holy Spirit in this new life You
have given me. Amen.
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