Dusty
 |
| Pixabay |
In Eden the first family had everything provided for them. All they had to do was to take care of what God so generously gave them. But what God gave wasn’t enough for them and the rest, as they say, is history.
But the more ominous part of the verse follows. Hard work will be man’s portion until he dies and returns to the dust from which he came. Psalm 104 echoes this statement: “These all look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust” (vss. 27-29).
But look back to Psalm 103 and be reminded that though we are dust, and to dust we shall return, our great Creator God knows us even in the weakness of our frame and the direness of our situation.
“Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forgot not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s….he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him…for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him and his righteousness with their children’s children—with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts” (vss. 1-5, 10, 11, 14-17).
Even in the midst of the toil comes the reminder that though the “ground” of our labour may be hard, even its resistance to us is tempered by the loving hand of the One who remembers from what we are formed. He continues to provide for His rebellious creation. As Matthew 5:45 tells us, His rain falls on the righteous and the unrighteous, just as His sun shines on them both.
Why does He not, why did He not, deal with the blemished product “according to our iniquities”? That’s the nature of love—it never fails. The New Testament writers capture the heart of God for us. Paul writes in Romans 2:4 as he rebukes those who reject God’s mercy time and time again and think they will escape that final judgment: “…do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?” Peter states it this way: “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
Judgment will come, but for right now God has patience with the frailties of His dust-creatures.
Peter is forthright in his warning about the judgment to come and what needs to happen before that moment in time when time stops. He continues: “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what like of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming” (3:10-12) and he urges those who don’t know the Lord “to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him” (vs. 14) through faith in Christ, and for those who know Him to “…grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (vs. 18) and not fall away.
Listen dust, and learn.
Comments
Post a Comment