Are you familiar with this psalm? I've often wondered about it, especially verse 15. When I think about the flowers of the field I know that they each bloom and die at different times. Some bloom all summer long, others blossom for only a few days. When I consider that, understanding and accepting it as the divine order for all of life---even my husband's, even my own---from everlasting to everlasting---I stand amazed at the rest of this psalm. What are your thoughts?
Psalm 103:13-18
New International Version (NIV)
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
15 The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
17 But from everlasting to everlasting
the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—
18 with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
15 The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
17 But from everlasting to everlasting
the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—
18 with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.
I was never familiar with this Psalm. In fact, I didn't fully comprehend the meaning of this Psalm until after I lost my husband.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, before my husband went to Heaven; I avoided anything that had to do with dying. We were only in our 40's so we were more concerned about what most 40 year old parents with a high school teen would worry about.
I mean wasn't it a little too early to think about dying? I was very naive in thinking we lived in a protected garden until old age.
This Psalm is telling us that we do not live in a protected garden; the reality is that we are just wild flowers out in the open. We are unprotected and at the hands of nature.
We could be a beautiful strong flower today and tomorrow we could be wilting. The Lord knows how frail our life is and has compassion for all of us.
The Lord's eternal love brings us comfort and hope as we live out each day not knowing what the day will bring.
God does know and we have that protection, comfort, and hope in knowing that his Love will never wilt.
♥
~Cathy
♥ God's love never wilts ♥
ReplyDeleteI never dreamed Bruce's time would be up in his 40's either. Realizing from the psalm that God has chosen a different, perfect lifespan for each of us was a huge step for me.