Third-protection from pit and destruction.
Psalm 103:4, “Who redeems your life from the pit.”
This benefit is very dear to David because he can remember several times God intervened, protected and guarded his life from king Saul, the Giant Goliath, lion and bear, wild animals while he was taking care of his flocks as a shepherd boy, and several other enemies who really wanted David to be destroyed including his own son Absalom. David reflects God redeemed his life from the pit many times. Pit could mean death, severe sickness that could lead to death or other dangerous places that could cause destruction to his life.
When you think about it, is it not dear to you and me as well? You and I still are alive only due to Lord’s deliverance from death. How many accidents happened in high ways and side roads in the USA every day? Did you ever think why are you still alive?
You are still living because God protected and guarded you safe thus far? Yes, No doubt on that.
Think of all the years so far you lived in this world- many of us have lived pretty long time in this world. don’t we? My father lived up to 85 years and went to be with the Lord and mother still alive in her 90’s. We have witnessed many are destroyed by natural calamities, accidents and health issues. You are still alive is just due to God’s protection on your life. He has a purpose for you personally and that is why you are still alive. Don’t you want to know what is God’s purpose for the rest of your life? That will be a wonderful and most blessed pursuit for your life. Ask the Lord what is His purpose for your life? He will show the divine purpose for your life. The start doing it with His enablement and grace.
Bible says God knew you even before He formed you in your mother’s womb. Read what God said to Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:5-10 and his response to God and the Lord’s commission for his life.
The Lord gave me this message:
“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.
Before you were born I set you apart
and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
“O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”
The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!” Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said,
“Look, I have put my words in your mouth!
Today I appoint you to stand up
against nations and kingdoms.
Some you must uproot and tear down,
destroy and overthrow.
Others you must build up
and plant.”
Paul says this about him in Galatians 1:15, “But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace…”. Bible says, God who is eternal and all knowledgeable has a unique purpose for your life as well.
Think the day you learned to drive and got the driver license. Can you imagine how many miles you have driven so far? Don’t you know many are faced with death while they were driving? Amazingly God sustained you – you were not killed but you could have been.
One my friends met with an accident last year on highway 635 in Texas. After the work, he was driving back home around 6.30PM. He had a wonderful wife and one precious child. In a high way, while he was driving home, in a flash of few seconds, his life ended. My own nephew who was only 21 years old was driving back from the library after spending hours of group study with his college courses. Suddenly in a blind curve, his car hit a nearby tree and my loving nephew went to be with the Lord immediately in a flash of seconds.
We heard many aero plane accidents in recent years – blowing up in the air and resulting in the very tragic end of life. My friend, you also traveled on planes and you are still alive and no danger happened to you yet. Read Psalm 139:16 and it says “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” Bible says even the number of months and number of days we live here on the planet are known and pre-determined by God.
Read Psalm 139:16 and it says “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” Bible says even the number of months and number of days we live here on planet earth God know very well. God has kept you safe until this moment, right? If it is God’s will you will live more years or we may die sooner- this year or next year. God knows all the details. But do you know your death will not happen without God’s permission? Everything that happens on this earth and the universe happens at the time God decides. Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:2-8, “He sets the time for birth and the time of death, the time for planting and the time for pulling up, the time for killing and the time for healing. He sets the time for sorrow and the time for joy, the time for mourning and the time for dancing…..”. God said to Devil don’t touch Job’s lives without His permission. Do you know Satan cannot touch your life without God’s approval and permission?
I want to remind you the most cardinal redemption of the Lord from the destructive pit of spiritual death. The Lord redeems you from the spiritual death into which all human beings fell and He grants us spiritual resurrection to those who believe and trust in Him. Bible says in Ephesians 2:1 that you were dead spiritually and this means you didn’t have any communication or fellowship with the God who created you and granted your life on this earth. It won’t take much time for us to discover this truth of spiritual death. The only thing you need to do is just look around and then watch the evening TV news or internet news to figure out the depth in to which people have already fallen- the evil, sin and immorality and cruelty in this world. But then the verse 4 says God being so rich in mercy toward you and loved so much that even though you were spiritually dead, he raised you spiritually by granting you a new life in and through the savior – Jesus Christ.
Listen what Bible says about your condition of spiritual death and how the Lord grants you spiritual resurrection in Ephesians 2:1-9. Read slowly and let these words sink into your heart.
” Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.[a] He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature, we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”
The pit of spiritual death in to which all humans fell in to can ultimately result in their eternal death – the eternal separation from a loving and gracious God. Not only presently you are separated from a loving God but it can very well result into an eternity without God’s presence or any goodness. Now, every day, we all enjoy God’s love and care, don’t we? The sun, moon, light, rain, air to breathe, water to drink, love of our dear ones, health, and all good and free things we enjoy come from a good God. Bible says in James 1:17, “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.”
Can you imagine an eternity with none of these God’s gifts and goodness? How horrible it will be! See, we all spiritually dead and we need spiritual life and resurrection. This spiritual life and resurrection are available in Christ Jesus. Because Jesus carried your sorrows, your sins, your transgressions, your iniquities on the cross and paid the penalty of all your sins, when you come to Christ and ask him to forgive your sins and save you, Bible promise your spiritual death condition will end and you will become spiritually alive and resurrected to a new life. This will ultimately result in the eternal life with the full presence of God and all His goodness with you, instead of eternal death. Eternal death means after your death your spirit will end up living without God and his goodness and that is called the hell. No goodness there in hell. Only darkness and horrible hatred and pain will be there. God loved you that much because He doesn’t want you to go there. God wants you to live with Him in heaven. That is the sole purpose of the savior Christ and the cross on which He died for your sake.
When David reflects his past life, he knows for sure God was clearly at work in his life. He was anointed by Samuel the prophet as the next king of Israel and he had to wait many more years to become the king, though he was already anointed. What a long wait time? The then King Saul was on a continuous mission to end the life of young David. Saul is the king and he had power and army to destroy and end the life of David. David remembers that it was the Lord who redeemed his life from the pit. He says this in Psalm 40 and please listen.
“I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord
My friend, do you know, God is clearly at work in your life as He was at work in David’s life. The Lord is the one who protects and safe guard you from all dangers and He is the one who opens the doors and gives you strength. The Lord is the one who gives you hope and grant you a good future. He has a wonderful plan and purpose for your life. Aren’t you excited about all these truths Bible reveals about you?
When you consider this wonderful benefit from God – the daily protection of your life from pit and destruction and the final redemption of your life from hell and eternal separation from God, how much will you praise God? May your heart be filled with gratitude and gladness. That is why David is praising God from his innermost heart in 103:1. Listen what he says, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, all that is within me, bless His holy name!” Again he says, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
In this article, we discussed the third wonderful benefit from God. May this thrill your heart with praise and worship. May His name be glorified!
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