By Pastor William Y. K. Brown Ph.D
(Resident Pastor)
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Osu-Bethel.
Tel: 0244165628/0243310773.
wykbrown@gmail.com
WEDNESDAY
THEME: THE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE”
SCRIPTURE: Psalms 49:15
“But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, For He shall receive me. Selah”
REFLECTIONS
The subject of death and resurrection are inseparable in God’s sight. Though death has punctuated God’s desire for humans to have life continually, for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, death is the sleep that transitions us to eternal life – a pause and a rest for humanity until Christ comes to take His people home. For where He is there we shall be also (John 14:1-3). We avoid discussing the reality of death because of how devastating it is when it breaks. Families and communities have been shocked and overwhelmed by it.
Psalms 49 counsels regarding the impact of death on the human race but highlights the fact that God will redeem. The psalm is addressed to the community of faith – to draw attention to the realities of life. It expresses that death is imminent, but God will redeem and raise the dead. We often forget that how we live each day prepares us for our final destiny, which will surely come. Most of the time, we boast and depend on our accomplishments to imply life emanates from within us, or we control life, but we do not. We depend on God for life.
The psalm suggests that death will occur in this life, but those who trust God do not have to fear because God is their security and redeemer. Though we die, we shall be raised by God again. The hope of resurrection is well established in the Old and New Testaments. Verse 15 states, “But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, For He shall receive me. Selah.” Jesus said in John 5:25,28-29, “. . . the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. [28]Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice [29]and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”
For the living, we have a decision to make and a life to live. Psalms 49:10-12 reminds us that the wealthy, wise, and foolish will all die but cautions that nothing can be taken with us to the grave. Verse 17 reads, “For when he dies he shall carry nothing away; His glory shall not descend after him.” The good news is that you can live and die with hope in Christ Jesus. Psalms 48:14 assures us: “For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide Even to death.” May the love of Christ give you the grace to live with hope and peace daily.
MY SONG OF COMMITMENT
SDAH 435 – “The Glory Song”
LET US PRAY
– Praise and thank God for the hope of life; thank Him for preserving your life; pray to live each day for Him;
– Pray for families that are mourning their loved ones, people with terminal ill health, patients at the ICU, and those who have lost their wealth and rendered helpless due to disasters;
– Pray for Christians to live with hope in Christ, share that hope with neighbors and acquaintances, and draw the wayward to Jesus for salvation;
– Pray for our nation and its people, for the security, health, and auxiliary services personnel, and for the soon return of Jesus Christ.
