Read Psalm 144:1-8. 1Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; 2he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me. 3O Lord, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him? 4Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. 5Bow your heavens, O Lord, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke! 6Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them! 7Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of foreigners, 8whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
Why does God bother with us? Why does he even care? That’s the question David asks in verses three and four. If even the best of us is just a breath and a passing shadow, then what’s the point? Why rescue those whose days are numbered? David can’t even imagine why God would even give any thought to us, much less loving thoughts.
And that love is the answer. Why does God care about us passing shadows? Because of his steadfast love. Yes, it’s true, there is no good reason for God to care about us. We do not bring any benefit to God. There is no reason for him to love us. Except his love. He loves us because he loves us. And the sooner we get that thought into our heads and down into our hearts the better.
How do we know that he loves us because he loves us? Because he bowed the heavens and came down. Not just as smoke, lightning, and arrows, but as one of us. The sons of man have been visited by THE Son of Man.
Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus our Immanuel.
To live is Christ means acceptance of this great truth – I have done nothing to merit God’s love. He loves me simply because he chooses to love me.
Prayer. Jesus, why you would think about me and even love me is often mind boggling to me. But help me to trust that it’s true a little bit more today. Amen.
To Live is Christ 