September 29, 2019 -- Psalm 119:25 -- What do you cling to?
/My soul clings to the dust;
give me life according to your word!
Psalm 119:25 English Standard Version
At first glance it seems like a strange statement—clinging to the dust. You might think of Adam—he was created out of the dust of the earth (Genesis 2:7) and God breathed life into his nostrils. Maybe your mind goes to a phrase often used in burial services: “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust”. That exact wording is not found in the bible, but is a reference to Genesis 3:19—”for you are dust, and to dust you shall return”. After Adam and Eve had rebelled against God He brought the down His curse of sin into our very DNA and the curse of sin which affects all of creation. The LORD Who made us informed us we will return to dust.
The dust then is both what we are made of and what we return to. What sustains us? It is the breath of life from God. Ephesians teaches that we are dust—dead in our sins and trespasses. We do not bring any good thing to the table. We do not please God by our words, thoughts, gifts, deeds, there is no good thing that is in us or flows from us. We sin because we are sin-filled creatures—we are clinging to the dust of death.
But God, rich in mercy, calls us to life. In Jesus, the living word, we are brought from the dust of death to life which begins in Jesus and lasts forever more. Believers in Jesus Christ are raised from the dust and from the useless and meaningless actions which reveal our deadness. Our souls still cling to death. We are still creatures that, left to our own devices, always choose sin, death, destruction and chaos rather than life. Until the very Spirit of God takes up residence in our hearts and works in us the life of Jesus—the living words—and directs us in the way of life—the written word we will always somnambulate through life—live like sleep-walkers.
Today is Sunday. Christians delight in going to church because we praise God—Who has given us life. Today is Sunday and believers across this globe defy governments, risk imprisonment and shunning by their non-believing family members and community because in Jesus Christ alone is life. The Spirit of God Who lives in us reminds us: greater is He Who lives in us (the Spirit of Jesus) than he that is in the world (Satan and the hosts of darkness)—this is I John 4:4. Those who have met Jesus through the Bible and because of the powerful presence of the Spirit don’t have to be cajoled into going to church—we are drawn by joy. God has answered the prayer of this psalmist—my soul clings to the dust-I am appealing to You, asking so urgently: give me life according to Your Word—on the basis of all the promises You have made to me.
Come to church. If you are feeling some inkling to go to church—plan on going this day and seeing the life God our Father is giving through Jesus Christ. See the powerful life-bringing work of the Spirit. That curiosity is God-prompted. You will not regret going to church!
God of Creation and Life-continue to breath life in us through Jesus Christ. God our Father, give us life that wells up in us through faith in Jesus Christ and by the powerful presence of Your Spirit overflows through-out this life and brings us to the joy of eternal life in Your Presence. This day, as the curious ones, drawn by Your Spirit, come to church may we who know life in Jesus’ Name welcome them and show them the joy that is found in Christ alone. Amen.
