The Uncertainties of Life

01 Monday Jun 2020

Posted by davidkitz in Devotions, Psalm 31, Psalms

Tags

death, life, trust in God, uncertainty, uncertainty of life

Reading: Psalm 31
(Verses 14-18)
But I trust in you, LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”
My times are in your hands;
deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
from those who pursue me.
Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.
Let me not be put to shame, LORD,
for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
and be silent in the realm of the dead.
Let their lying lips be silenced,
for with pride and contempt
they speak arrogantly against the righteous (NIV).*

My times are in your hands — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Yesterday, (at the time of this writing) I made a trip to the hospital to visit a neighbor from down my street who is dying due to a brain tumor. Today, I just returned from visiting another neighbor who is dying due to heart failure. About ten years ago this medical missionary had a heart transplant. Now that heart is being rejected, and she has less than a year to live. Making matters more dire, she has a thirteen-year-old son and a ten-year-old daughter.

David spoke the truth when he declared, “My times are in your hands.” We have no idea—no certainty about what tomorrow will bring. Will it bring life or death, joy or sorrow, pain or ecstasy, excitement or boredom? Our times are in His hands. We devise our plans, but ultimately the LORD determines the outcome. Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails (Proverbs 19:21).

As if to prove my point, as I went on line to search for the Proverbs passage quoted above, I discovered that Canada’s former finance minister, Jim Flaherty, had suddenly died of a heart attack. While to non-Canadian readers the name Jim Flaherty may mean nothing, to those who live in the true north strong and free Mr. Flaherty was a well-known and well-respected leader who piloted Canada through the Great Recession with consummate skill. He retired just one month before his sudden passing. Mr. Flaherty’s times were in His—that is God’s hands.

But we can easily forget that our times are in God’s hands. It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another (Psalm 75:7). He determines the length of our days. That’s why the opening words of this psalm portion are so important. David asserts, “But I trust in you, LORD; I say, ‘You are my God.'”

In life and in death He is Lord. Put your trust in Him for today, for tomorrow and for all eternity.

Response: LORD God, I do not know what the future holds for me, but like David, I put my trust in you. Guide me in your ways. My life is in your hands. Amen.

Your Turn: How long do you think you have on this earth? Are you ready for eternity?

* New International Version, Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

This post by award-winning author David Kitz will be published in book format later in 2020 by Elk Lake Publishing under the title 365 Days through the Psalms.

As Long as I Live I Will Praise the LORD

18 Tuesday Feb 2020

Posted by davidkitz in Devotionals, Psalm 146, Psalms

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

commitment, hope, life, praise the LORD, worship

Reading: Psalm 146
(Verses 1-5)
Praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD, my soul.
I will praise the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
Do not put your trust in princes,
in human beings, who cannot save.
When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing.
Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD their God (NIV).*

Snow covered lamp post — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Last week I had a delightful telephone conversation with my mom. She was pleased to report that her last and final round of cataract surgery had gone very well. Her vision has greatly improved. Speaking of her follow-up exam, she said, “The most excited person in the room was the doctor. He was thrilled that the surgery turned out so well. I was the oldest patient he had ever operated on.”

My mom is ninety-four, but she doesn’t let a minor thing like that slow her down. After all, age is just a number. She still keeps a busy schedule and out works many women half her age. Who else but my mother would annually sew a hundred quilts and donate them to Lutheran World Relief?

But she knows, just as we all know that her life here on this earth will come to an end. We best make the most of it while we have this precious gift. Time marches on, and time will eventually march us off to the grave as surely as the sun will rise tomorrow on a new day.

In today’s reading from Psalm 146, the psalmist makes a lifelong commitment. He commits himself to praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, my soul. I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

This is not an insignificant commitment. We were made to worship and we all do it, even the atheists among us. Some worship their money; others worship the pleasures of this world. Perhaps the greatest god of the current age is the god of self. Monuments to personal vanity have been erected all around us. I have been known to set up a few of these myself.

Genuine praise for the LORD tears down personal idols. It establishes His lordship over our lives. It acknowledges that He is in control. I have so little power. I can’t turn a white hair to black, at least not in the true sense. But the LORD knows the number of hair on my head and the number of my days. Ultimately, my life is in His hands. My life here is temporary. That’s why I need to put my hope and my trust in God—the eternal One. The psalmist’s words ring true. Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God. And that blessing holds true for ninety-four-year-olds too.

Response: LORD God, I thank and praise you for the gift of life. You are worthy of worship. I commit to worshiping you every day for the rest of my life. Thank you for eternal life through Jesus. Amen.

Your Turn: Will you praise the LORD for all of your life? Are you ready to make that commitment?

**New International Version, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.*

Death and Service

30 Wednesday Oct 2019

Posted by davidkitz in Devotionals, Psalm 116, Psalms

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

death, funeral, life, servant, serve

Reading: Psalm 116
(Verses 15-19)
Precious in the sight of the LORD
is the death of his faithful servants.
Truly I am your servant, LORD;
I serve you just as my mother did;
you have freed me from my chains.
I will sacrifice a thank offering to you
and call on the name of the LORD.
I will fulfill my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all his people,
in the courts of the house of the LORD—
in your midst, Jerusalem.
Praise the LORD (NIV).

Country road home — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Funerals are fascinating occasions for a whole variety of reasons. Recently I have had an opportunity to attend a number of these end-of-life events. There is something bittersweet about most funerals—bitter due to the loss of a loved one—sweet because often fond memories are recalled.

The end of a life here on earth gives us an opportunity to reflect on the values that the deceased portrayed, and by extension it allows us to examine the values and qualities that shape our own lives. Our lives paint a portrait. What sort of portrait will it be?

Apparently the LORD takes note when one of His own passes on from this life. Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants. Truly I am your servant, LORD; I serve you just as my mother did; you have freed me from my chains.

The word servant is significant in the passage above. It is repeated twice along with its verb form serve. Now here is a question for you. Who are you serving? Are you a servant of the LORD or are you serving only yourself?

Those who serve only themselves should expect few at their bedside as they draw their last breath. All too often their last days are spent in loneliness and bitter resentment—not so for those who spent their lives in the service of others and the LORD. They can expect to be surrounded by family and friends because they have poured out their lives in service. We reap what we sow, and when the Grim Reaper comes, those who have sown generously will be rewarded generously. God, Himself will be present!

Now we should note that genuine service to others is service to the Lord. In essence, Jesus said just that when in his parable of the final judgment he declared, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).

Response: LORD, I want to serve you. Today please show me how I can be the best possible servant to you and those around me. Open my eyes to the needs of others. I want to serve with a heart filled with gratitude and joy. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you living a life of service? What does serving God mean for you?

Our Temporary World

30 Tuesday Jul 2019

Posted by davidkitz in Devotionals, Psalm 90, Psalms

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Creator, forever, life, Lord, meaning of life

Reading: Psalm 90
A prayer of Moses the man of God.
(Verses 1-6)
Lord, you have been our dwelling place
throughout all generations.
Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
You turn people back to dust,
saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”
A thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by,
or like a watch in the night.
Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—
they are like the new grass of the morning:
In the morning it springs up new,
but by evening it is dry and withered (NIV).

Fallen tree — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
In case you have not noticed, your life on this earth is temporal. It won’t last forever. In fact, there is very little on this earth that fits into the “lasts forever category.” My car fits well into this rusty, temporal category. My physical body will suffer a similar fate. My morning aches and pains remind me of this outcome. In this psalm Moses states the obvious when he makes this declaration: You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”

James, the brother of our Lord, makes a similar observation: You should know better than to say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to the city. We will do business there for a year and make a lot of money!” What do you know about tomorrow? How can you be so sure about your life? It is nothing more than mist that appears for only a little while before it disappears (James 4:13-14, CEV).

Only God stands apart, above and beyond this temporal world. He is the ageless One, untouched by time. This assertion holds true. A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.

The entire book of Ecclesiastes addresses the topic of the temporal nature of human life. Glenn Fobert has written an excellent book that explains the true meaning of that puzzling book: Everything Is Mist: Ecclesiastes on Life in a Puzzling and Troubled Temporary World

Life is not meaningless or vanity. According to Fobert, scholars have mistranslated the Hebrew word for mist in Ecclesiastes. Life is like a morning fog that lifts and it is gone. Where has it gone? It goes to the eternal One, the Creator of all life. How then should we live? Ecclesiastes gives us the answer. Simply live in full reverence and praise to your Maker.

Response: LORD God, I thank you for being the author of this wonderful thing called life. Today I want to live in humble thanksgiving and praise to you. Let my work, words and conduct honor you. Amen.

Your Turn: Is the Lord your dwelling place? Are you at home with Him?

He Will See the Light of Life

21 Sunday Apr 2019

Posted by davidkitz in Bible, Easter Sunday, Psalms

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Isaiah 53, justify, life, praise, the LORD, transgressors

I will praise Him!

Joy comes in the morning — photo by David Kitz

Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
    and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
    and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
After he has suffered,
    he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
    and he will bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
    and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
    and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
    and made intercession for the transgressors.

(Isaiah 53:10-12, NIV)

Teach me, LORD

21 Saturday Apr 2018

Posted by davidkitz in Bible, Psalm 119, Psalms, Saturday's Psalm

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

commands, delight, God's word, life, obey, praise, promise, Righteousness, selfish, teach, the LORD, understanding

I will praise Him!

All creation speaks its praise — photo courtesy of Karen Kitz

ה He

Teach me, LORD, the way of your decrees,
    that I may follow it to the end.
Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law
    and obey it with all my heart.
Direct me in the path of your commands,
    for there I find delight.
Turn my heart toward your statutes
    and not toward selfish gain.
Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
    preserve my life according to your word.
Fulfill your promise to your servant,
    so that you may be feared.
Take away the disgrace I dread,
    for your laws are good.
How I long for your precepts!
    In your righteousness preserve my life.

(Psalm 119:33-40, NIV)

My Times Are in Your Hands

10 Thursday Aug 2017

Posted by davidkitz in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 31, Psalms

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

brain tumor, brevity of life, death, God, Great Recession, Jim Flaherty, Landestreu, life, Lord, medical missionary, Proverbs, the LORD, time

Reading: Psalm 31

(Verses 14-18)

But I trust in you, LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”
My times are in your hands;
deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
from those who pursue me.
Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.
Let me not be put to shame, LORD,
for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
and be silent in the realm of the dead.
Let their lying lips be silenced,
for with pride and contempt
they speak arrogantly against the righteous (NIV).

Reflection

Yesterday I made a trip to the hospital to visit a neighbor from down my street who is dying due to a brain tumor. Today, I just returned from visiting another neighbor who is dying due to heart failure. About ten years ago this medical missionary had a heart transplant. Now that heart is being rejected, and she has less than a year to live. Making matters more dire, she has a thirteen-year-old son and a ten-year-old daughter.

Landestreu sunrise — photo courtesy of Donald Adam

In life and in death He is Lord. Put your trust in Him for today, for tomorrow and for all eternity.

Response: LORD God, I do not know what the future holds for me, but like David, I put my trust in you. Guide me in your ways. My life is in your hands. Amen.

Your Turn: How long do you think you have on this earth? Are you ready for eternity?

Postscript: This post was originally written three years ago. Both neighbors to whom I referred have passed away. The cancer patient died a few months later, but the heart transplant recipient survived until this spring.

Bring Joy

01 Saturday Jul 2017

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 86, Psalms, Saturday's Psalm

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

faithful, God, joy, life, Lord, mercy, praise, Prayer, trust

I will praise Him!

Purple stars bring backyard joy — photo by David Kitz

Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
    save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord,
    for I call to you all day long.
Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
    for I put my trust in you.

(Psalm 86:2-4, NIV)

The Temporary Life

03 Wednesday May 2017

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 146, Psalms

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

atheists, cataract surgery, cataracts, commitment, control, end of life, gift of life, God, hope, idols, life, Lutheran World Relief, money, praise, quilts, temporary, the LORD, trust, worship

Reading: Psalm 146

(Verses 1-5)
Praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD, my soul.
I will praise the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
Do not put your trust in princes,
in human beings, who cannot save.
When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing.
Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD their God (NIV).

Reflection

Last week I had a delightful telephone conversation with my mom. She was pleased to report that her last and final round of cataract surgery had gone very well. Her vision has greatly improved. Speaking of her follow-up exam, she said, “The most excited person in the room was the doctor. He was thrilled that the surgery turned out so well. I was the oldest patient he had ever operated on.”

Around the bend in the trail — photo by David Kitz

Response: LORD God, I thank and praise you for the gift of life. You are worthy of worship. I commit to worshipping you every day for the rest of my life. Thank you for eternal life through Jesus. Amen.

Your Turn: Will you praise the LORD for all of your life? Are you ready to make that commitment?

Your Love is Better than Life

05 Wednesday Apr 2017

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 63, Psalms

≈ 12 Comments

Tags

glory, life, love, power, praise, sanctuary

I will praise Him!

Early Morning Sunrise, Grey Nuns Park, Orleans, ON — photo by David Kitz

I have seen you in the sanctuary
    and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life,
    my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,
    and in your name I will lift up my hands.
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;
    with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

(Psalm 63:2-5, NIV)

Later this year, Kregel Publishing will be releasing my Passion of Christ novel entitled “The Soldier Who Killed a King.” Due to an editing deadline on this book, I am unable to do my regular, full-length posts. I hope to resume my devotional posts soon. — David Kitz

I love the Psalms

~ Connecting daily with God through the Psalms

Tag Archives: life

The Uncertainties of Life

* New International Version, Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

As Long as I Live I Will Praise the LORD

**New International Version, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.*

Death and Service

Our Temporary World

He Will See the Light of Life

I will praise Him!

(Isaiah 53:10-12, NIV)

Teach me, LORD

I will praise Him!

ה He

(Psalm 119:33-40, NIV)

My Times Are in Your Hands

Bring Joy

I will praise Him!

Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
    save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord,
    for I call to you all day long.
Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
    for I put my trust in you.

(Psalm 86:2-4, NIV)

The Temporary Life

Your Love is Better than Life

I will praise Him!

(Psalm 63:2-5, NIV)

* New International Version, Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

*New International Version, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.

I will praise Him!

(Isaiah 53:10-12, NIV)

I will praise Him!

ה He

(Psalm 119:33-40, NIV)

I will praise Him!

Guard my life, for I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long. Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in you.

(Psalm 86:2-4, NIV)

I will praise Him!

(Psalm 63:2-5, NIV)

**New International Version, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.*

Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord,
for I call to you all day long.
Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
for I put my trust in you.