Psalm 119:19
"I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me."
This passage reminds me of an old hymn "This World is Not My Home." The idea of being a stranger in the world was a favorite theme of Peter's. In 1Peter 1:1 he writes "to God's elect, strangers in the world." Later in verse 17 he says: "Live your lives here in reverent fear." Then finally "I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires which war against your soul." (2:11) In fact there are two worlds, or two realities. The one world is the physical place we live in now. The other is the spiritual home Jesus is preparing for us as I write these words. It is good to be reminded that this (physical) is not our home. Yet how much energy do we spend making this world more comfortable for us in which to live? I remember an illustration I read when I was still a Pastor. The story goes of a man who had been a missionary in Africa most of his life. He was retiring and on his way home he just happened to be on the same ship as Teddy Roosevelt who was returning from a hunting trip. As they pulled up to the pier the missionary saw all kinds of people who came to welcome the President back home. The band was playing and people were cheering. The missionary thought to himself, "The President goes away on a little vacation and gets this when he comes home. I have been serving the Lord faithfully all my life and no one is here to greet me as I come home." But then he heard the Lord say: "But you're not home yet." There is a sense in which we should never feel settled here. This is not our home. All our rewards, comforts and happiness lie ahead.
Jesus told us "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth…But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven." (Matthew 6:19-21) Here in Psalm 119 the author understands the tension between the two worlds. He asks God "do not hide your commands from me." It is God's desire that we live for a time in this world so that we might give him glory and point others to him, but how do we do that? We need his commands. We need direction. We need to humble ourselves before him daily and ask that he guide our steps.
2 comments:
Thanks for this. I've been depressed about various things in my life for a while. Government, war, work, standards, etc.
I've been putting too much emphasis on how to fix this world. Instead, I should try to uplift people and provide guidance and good example. We can't make this world perfect, but we can prepare for the next. At least, I hope that's right. Correct me if I'm wrong.
though I should be asleep, this verse reminds me that just because we are in the world, doesn't mean we are of the world. This can be easily seen by who I am and the way I act around school.
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