“Like as a father pities his children, so the Lord pities them that fear Him—for He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it and it is gone—and the place thereof shall know it no more.”
Psalm 103:13-16
Although our time here is short, we need not worry if we’ve lived in vain when we walk with Him and invest in His Kingdom work.
“He remembers that we are dust.”
What’s your reaction when you read those words, Pilgrim? And, how does it make you feel when you read “your days are as grass and a flower of the field that flourishes—but one of these days you’ll be gone and the wind will pass over where you once lived and no one will even remember that you once passed that way”?
Pretty sobering thought, isn’t it?
Assuredly so.
Yet, instead of being overwhelmed by despair, we should be filled with delight in knowing the Lord God of Heaven “pities (Heb. ‘racham’—‘to fondle, have compassion on, show mercy to, etc.’) us that fear Him as a father pities his own children.”
Picture this if you will:
You have a child, whom you loved dearly; but that child is hard-headed and set on his own ways. You buy things for him. . .take him special places. . .shower him with love. . .but he’s still a “wild root” and tries your patience in so many ways.
Finally, you have to exact discipline upon him. Perhaps it’s corporal punishment. Or, it may be withholding privileges from him. And, it grieves you to do so, but you know it’s what best for him in an attempt to raise him right.
Yet, through all those times of heartache and headache, you never forget that he is your child and you love him very, very much. Thus, quite often you don’t enforce the “letter of the law,” but operate in its spirit instead.
Why is that?
Because you “pity him” and give him Grace and Mercy so undeserved.
And, the same is true with God the Father. He knew we’re “earthy” by nature, with a downward bent toward sinning. But, still He loves us. And, still He shows us Mercy “by which we’re not consumed in His wrath” (Lam. 3:21-23; Rom. 5:9-11).
Aren’t you glad?
If so, remember your time here on earth is brief at best (James 4:13-15). Soon, you, like every person before you and around you, will go “the way of all flesh” (I Pet. 1:24). That’s why it’s important to “seek first God’s Kingdom” (Mt. 6:33) and invest in things eternal, not temporal. Then, you won’t have to worry about your legacy or if you’ll be remembered or not. The Lord will remember—and that’s all that matters (I Cor. 15:58; Rev. 14:13).
By Tom Smith Morning Manna Dated April 17, 2010