Knowing Our Frailty

Psalm 39:4

    There are times when we are glad to have what we are experiencing come to an end. There are also times when we look up against an end to what we have been doing. What hurts and embarrasses we want ended. But what we enjoy and what gives us delight we want continued without end.

    Tomorrow we come to the end of another year which reminds us that we are one step closer to the end of our lives. Surely when the clock ticks again, we are closer to the end of the hour, the day, the year, and of our earthly lives. We can then understand these words of Psalm 39:4: "Lord, make me to know my end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am."

    That should be our prayer. To God we should pray (PRC Psalter, #107):

    My end, Lord make me know,
    My days, how soon they fail;
    And to my thoughtful spirit show
    How weak I am and frail.

    Make that your prayer today; but make it your prayer every day. The year ends tomorrow, but another year comes the next day. Our days on earth are going to end; and then here below there will be no tomorrow for us.

    Now our frailty is not simply physical weakness of our bodies. We are so spiritually weak, even though we are born again with a new life in Christ. In ourselves we have absolutely no strength to keep ourselves from falling into sin, or to keep our bodies alive.  It is true that our souls go on; but we have no power in ourselves to keep them from plunging into the lake of fire.

    It is so very important therefore that we know that Christ is so powerful. Having blotted out our sins on His cross, and because of it conquering death and the grave for us, we can, knowing our frailty, look to Him at God's right hand with confidence.

    Knowing our frailty we can appreciate Christ's work and power. And we are ready to praise God and look for better things in the life to come. Learn your frailty: but look away from self and unto Christ for comfort and assurance. This life must end, if we are going to have the blessedness of the life Christ purchased for us.

Read: Psalm 90 
Psalter versification: #107:1

Daily  Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism

Song for Meditation: Psalter #400
Why not sing along??

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Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Malachi 1 ; Malachi 2:1-17 
Revelation 21:1-27 
Psalm 149:1-9 
Proverbs 31:10-24 
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Quote for Reflection:

"… Man wants to rid himself of the obligation to serve his Creator. He registers a complaint against his divine Employer in order to justify himself in his sin. He tries to justify a strike. His Employer is unjust. The requirements imposed upon him by the Almighty are too severe. The demands of God are far too exacting; they far exceed his capacity; he can never fulfill them. And so he refuses to shoulder his obligation. No one, not even God, has the right to demand of him what he cannot perform!"  - Herman Hoeksema