A life worth living

 A life focussed intently on God is worth living. It is provided for, always has reason for gladness, it is safe internally and eternally, has a hope and a future - are you leading a life like that? 

Psalm 16:1–11 (ESV): 

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 

2  I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; 

I have no good apart from you.” 

3  As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, 

in whom is all my delight. 

4  The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; 

their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out 

or take their names on my lips. 

5  The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; 

you hold my lot. 

6  The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; 

indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. 

7  I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; 

in the night also my heart instructs me. 

8  I have set the Lord always before me; 

because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. 

9  Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; 

my flesh also dwells secure. 

10  For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, 

or let your holy one see corruption. 

11  You make known to me the path of life; 

in your presence there is fullness of joy; 

at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. 

Here David tells us of his life outworked as a man of faith. He first acknowledges that God is the boss of his life (v2) - there is no other person in control or reigning him and David relies on God for his; wellbeing, instruction, security and future. He can do this as he surrounds himself with the knowledge and instruction of God (v5,7,8). The practice of always being aware that God is present by reading God's word, spending time with Him and conversing with Him, reminds David who God is and what He is about, so his faith, trust and hope grows. This is what leads David to know security in this life and the next, and shows him a life worth living. 

In order to maintain the internal peace and security that he has, David is considered in what he does and who he does things with. He says, "I have set the Lord always before me" he lives purposefully setting his mind to acknowledge God in his everyday life. Living like this changes David's perspective on life, leisure, work, and people. It helps him to process events and his own responses as he is constantly aware of God's presence. This means David can easily evaluate himself, his life and what he is living for which impacts the way he responds. 

Do you acknowledge that God is there in every moment of your life, and allow that fact to assist you in evaluating your life, relationships and responses?

As David is making sure that he holds onto the reality that God is present, he is determined to keep away from ungodly influence and keeps apart from those who are living a life following other (ungodly) things (v4). That's a hard thing to do when you look around and feel surrounded by people who live without God. It seems to me that David's focus is to live a God-filled life and so he does not what ungodly things or people to distract him. Therefore, although there are plenty of people not following God around him, he does not allow these people to have influence in his life. He is aware of the actions and life choices of those people and so does not make an especial effort to get to know them, he doesn't seek to even know their names! David knows these people could be bad news for him, they could distract him and lead him away from God, into a life not worth living, so he is determined to keep away from them. Have you had to make similar choices? Do you consider whom you allow to influence your life? If you wish to live a life worth living, then you need to know who and what to keep away from. There are different types of people that you can build relationships with. Some are, ‘saints…excellent ones’ who give joy, encouragement and good guidance - they are good for your soul. Others are consumed by ‘sorrows’ and sin. So take time to consider who you are developing relationships with and why. Are those you spend time with saints, or will they lead you to sorrow? 

The next step in living a life worth living is acknowledging to God that, 'You hold my lot’. I love this simple little phrase of David's. It is a powerful admission. David tells in these few words that all that he has, he has not earned or deserved, God has given it all and He is still the Master of it all. The influence, power, money, home and family David have are all in God’s hands, not his own. David can and does enjoy and appreciate these things, but he accepts that they are from God and there is nothing he has done to gain or deserve them. There is a powerful humility in knowing that God has all of your life in His hands. God holds it. Sometimes He knows it is time for some of the things to be let go of, and sometimes more is taken on - you can trust God with both. Do you accept that God holds your ‘lot’? That it is under God’s guidance and control, are you comfortable with that? A life worth living, after all it seems, is not really your own!

In summary then, in this psalm, David shows us that a life worth living is; walking with God, responsible, humble, not in charge, doesn't allow sin or sorrows to overcome it and is purpose-filled and pleasant, Is your life a life worth living?

Dust v Image of God

In Genesis Chapters 1 and 2, we find the following descriptions of mankind:

‘the image of God’

‘of dust from the ground’

These are two opposing concepts, one of great value, worth, significance and power -  being an image bearer of the Lord God. The other of lowliness, dirt and insignificance - made out of mud. 

Why were human beings created with such a conflict inherent in their being? 

I think that as humans we can err on two accounts, some of us readily associate with the saying, ‘I am but a worm’, indicating that we consider ourselves dirt - we can identify ourselves as of little worth and value and therefore understand the fact that we are in fact just dirt that walks around. To you, God would remind you you also bear His image. He formed you, He put HIs breath in you, AND He made you like Himself, so you have the opportunity to demonstrate who God is just by being yourself in this world. 

Others err in the fact that they are overly confident in the fact that they are like mini-gods roaming around. Full of the confidence that they are image-bearers of God, which can lead to pride, over confidence and self-importance, even then thinking that the world is about them and how it effects them. To these, God would say, you are, 'of dust from the ground'  Have you forgotten who formed you and what from? Do you even know how many breaths you have left or how many hairs on your own head? but God gives you every one? 

Remember what you are and where you came from.

You are who you are because of Almighty God’s creative power, not anything to do with your own perception of yourself, or others’ opinions or actions. God doesn’t  want you to get prideful or downhearted about who you are, if you struggle with one or the other of these mindsets, then consider the other perspective and honour God for it.

This inherent conflict is striving to strike a balance, and should remind us again who God is. This internal mindset should ultimately lead us to worship God - How else can we respond when we realise that we are endowed with kingly demeanour, yet we are created from the base of the earth? 

Only God can bring breath and life to dirt! Only God can bring value and strength from the muddy mess that we can find ourselves in. Only God knows and can reveal our purpose. 

Enjoy and appreciate the tension that you are the image of God, yet you are also dirt. It will give you the right balance of acknowledgement of your place and stature in this Earthly kingdom, and in the kingdom to come.