Which Side Of Eternity Are You On?
Daily Old Testament Reading: Psalm 53, 60, 75
Daily Focus Passage: Psalm 53
Which side of eternity are you on? This question depends on which side of God you align yourself with. In Psalm 53, David speaks of humanity's fallen condition and those who seek to live as enemies of God. Even though David paints this bleak picture, he closes the Psalm with a promise of hope for those who align themselves on the Lord's side through faith. As we read Psalm 53, may we seek to make sure we are aligned with the Lord through faith, strive to reach those aligned with the flesh and introduce them to the avenue of changing sides.
THE SIDE OF THE FLESH
David identifies that the fool declares, "There is no God." This declaration indicates that the individual rejects the existence of God, and as a result, the individual seeks to define their morality, ethic, purpose, and final destination of life. The Bible states that the ways of humanity are evil, self-serving, and not God-honoring. As a result, David says that the one who ignores the Lord or his existence is corrupt and full of vile deeds. As a result, this individual can never perform genuine and authentic good. Thus, they are defined by their rejection of the Lord and the evil they practice.
David draws others who reject the Lord with those who reject the existence of the Lord. David declares that "all have turned away." David recognizes the fallen nature of humanity and knows that this nature impacts every person. Isaiah and Paul will declare that "none are righteous, no not one." Thus, as the Lord looks down, he gazes upon corrupt people that set their hearts against him to serve the self. The fallen nature drives people to seek the pride of the self and ignore the seeking of the Lord.
The individual aligned with the side of the flesh sets a course to receive the curse from the Lord. The Lord brings punishment upon those who are his enemies. David uses terms like scatter and besieges to note the coming punishment of the Lord against those aligned with the flesh. David declared that the Lord will put them to shame. Ultimately, this punishment occurs in the eternal, where the one who sides with the flesh will spend eternity facing the punishment, wrath, and rejection of the Lord. This punishment occurs because the Lord rejects them. After all, they first rejected him.
THE SIDE OF FAITH
David spends five verses dealing with those who select the side of the flesh instead of siding with the Lord in faith. In verse six, he changes the narrative and speaks of the Lord's response to those who align with him in faith. Today, we recognize that this comes in a faith-based relationship with Jesus Christ. David notes that "deliverance" from the plight of sin comes from the Lord alone. He understands that humans do not hold the ability to overcome their sinful condition. As a result, the Lord is the great deliverer that offers deliverance from the side of the enemy to the side of the Lord.
David notes that God seeks to bless his own. This blessing does not mean that the children of God receive earthly treasures due to their faith, but instead, this blessing points to the eternal blessing that comes when the believer enters heaven. The Lord takes the old self and makes it new. He restores us to the place of perfection. Thus, the brokenness of the flesh disappears because of the restoration through the Lord.
David states that this truth must drive those on the Lord's side to rejoice in him. This worship flows from gratitude for what the Lord has done in life. At the same time, we worship because we live in a certain hope that is not wishful but guaranteed because of the person and character of the Lord. Thus, we rejoice because we have been restored by the one true God who alone can fix.
So which side of eternity are you on? Are you living as if God does not exist, or are you living in the hope that comes from the Lord alone?
