But, my heart shall rejoice in Thy Salvation. Psalms 13
Pastor Pete awakened our hearts to the reality of God outside of time in last week’s sermon. I thought of this as I read Psalms 13 this morning. God is also outside the doors of humanity, earth, sin, enslavement, affliction, fear, death and oppression. Since the fall, the earth lies in the power of the evil one, (I john 5:19), and mankind is afflicted. God resides outside of earth space; he is not subject to weakness or effected by the poisonous venom of wickedness. This was, after all why he sent his Son to penetrate the earth, in order to subject him to the weakness of human flesh. However, Christ did not remain within the limitations of humanity, but overcame them. It is his spirit which remains with us. It is his spirit who is struggling with the flesh (Corinthians), But God himself no. He is, as Pastor Pete reminded us, outside of time and space, pain and human affliction.
So many of us cry out with the Psalmist’s lonely despairs,
How long o Lord will you forget me, how long will you hide, how long will the enemy prevail, and this sorrow overtake me, how long must I console my own soul. I feel like dying and will die if you don’t intervene.
How many hearts are sinking because of the ripple effects of sin on earth? What is the psalmist resolve against such anguish?
But…I have trusted in Thy lovingkindness, and my heart rejoices in Thy salvation. I will sing to the Lord because he has dealt bountifully with me.
Suddenly the psalmist remembers Salvation and God’s lovingkindness through Salvation. When there is nothing else to rejoice in he says, but at least I have Thy Salvation and loving-kindness. Trusting in the loving-kindness of the Lord results in Thy Salvation and bounty. All God’s children come to this desperate realization at some point in life, where they feel forgotten, cast off, lost or sorrowful -but trust in God’s lovingkindness and rejoice in Salvation. When all that glistens is gone He will shine like the noon day sun, He will arise with healing in his wings, He will never fade, nor fail us. He is The Bright Morning Star and the Light of the world. He wants us to know his love never ends and his salvation is ever available to us no matter what little we have left.
According to the NASB, Love is a covenant word closely related to the forgiveness of sins. The word loving-kindness in the Hebrew is CHESED, and it is the attitude of love containing mercy. The word for salvation is YESHUWAH, and it means: help, deliverance, victory, welfare, good health, prosperity; the idea of being comfortable and having no problems. The source of salvation comes from outside the situation of oppression.
The source of salvation comes from outside the situation of oppression.
We do not wait for a deliver to arise from the earth to save us, we await a King from heaven. In Hebrew, Jesus means Salvation. The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph and said, “You shall call his name, Yeshua, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins?” His name is his function, his purpose, his work. Our salvation is our Yeshua. And He is not overwhelmed by the same oppression and torment that we are. Christ is outside the power of Satan, He is outside of time as Pastor Pete declared.
Our salvation comes from outside the situation of oppression.
Therefore with the psalmist, we can rejoice in Yeshua, not only in what he has accomplished by coming to earth as a babe and suffering servant, but what he will accomplish, coming to earth as a reigning King.
Jesus is not trapped on earth by flesh or the result of sin. He is coming from VICTORY over sin and death . We can trust in his love with mercy, we can rejoice in him while we wait for him to come eliminate our sorrows, our feelings of loneliness and forgotten-ness. In fact, when we see our problems and inquire of our God , it is likely He will show us Yeshua, and our hearts will rejoice when we see his loving, mercy and kindness for us from above where he will come from once again.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. To obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and un-defiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time! In this you greatly rejoice even though now for a little while, if necessary you have been distressed by various trials. …obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls, as to this salvation , the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful search and inquiry, seeking to know what person or time the spirit of Christ within them was indicating as he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow…therefore Gird your mind for action, keep sober in spirit fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ – salvation. – 1 peter 1:4-14
my faith place 