Arise, O Lord, confront him, bring him low;
Deliver my soul from the wicked with Your sword,
From men with Your hand, O Lord,
From men of the world, whose portion is in this life,
And whose belly You fill with Your treasure;
They are satisfied with children,
And leave their abundance to their babes.
As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness;
I will be satisfied with Your likeness when I awake. Psalm 17:13-15
We should give thought and preparation for the next life. Too often, we spend every waking moment preparing and living the life we have in this world, with little thought of the next.
In His beautiful song requesting God’s protection, David compares those who live for temporal joys in this life versus the ultimate purpose of a lover of God… to become like Him in word, thought and deed. David acknowledges that God will take care of ‘men of this world’ with treasure and family and a sense of satisfaction. But for David, He longs for the portion beyond this life- to behold God’s face while in a right relationship with Him. It is then that David says he will awake in the next life transformed in the likeness of His Maker and God.
How much of my time, thought and activity is for the ‘here and now’? In what ways am I preparing for the next life in God’s presence?
O, Lord God- as this day begins I trust that You have eternal purpose for me to fulfill. However, I see that its necessary and beneficial for me to make preparation for the day I will be in Your presence. Please work within my thoughts and actions to make me more than positionally righteous… but to be practically righteous as well.
