Read Psalm 141:1-13. 1O Lord, I call upon you; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to you! 2Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice! 3Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips! 4Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies! 5Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it. Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds. 6When their judges are thrown over the cliff, then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant. 7As when one plows and breaks up the earth, so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol. 8But my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless! 9Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me and from the snares of evildoers! 10Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by safely.
David wants to live a sincere life before God. Do you?
Rather than simply going through the motions of the evening sacrifice and the burning of incense at the temple, he wants his heart felt prayers to be his truest confession and praise to God. Rather than saying whatever comes to mind, he wants a guard set over his mouth. Rather than enjoying the worldly delights of the wicked, David wants the rebukes of the righteous. What empowers such a sincere life before God?
Hope. But my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord, in you I seek refuge.
David had a hope in an eternal future with God. Although his bones will be scattered at the mouth of Sheol, he turns his eyes to the Lord. What he sees is God’s protection and preservation. Never defenseless. Never trapped. Always passing safely by.
Jesus, the most sincere life that ever lived, was defenseless. He was trapped. He was ensnared. God lifted his protection over his only Son, and allowed him to be scattered at the mouth of the grave. Why? Love. Love that now lives in us by our union with Christ’s resurrection power that overcame the grave, allowing our lives to be lived sincerely before God. Pure worship, guarded lips, humble submission to correction, right choices, all are possible when to live is Christ.
You: Are you living a sincere life before God? Or are you going through the motions?
You in Christ: How does our union with Christ allow us to live a life of pure worship and real love?
Christ in you: How can you keep your eyes toward Christ today?
Pray: Father, I want to live a sincere life before you, a life of pure love from true faith. Guide me on that path. Amen.
To Live is Christ 