“Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips
shall praise thee.” Psalm 63:3
Dear Congregation,
It is very
difficult for anyone to measure the value something compared to life itself.
Many who speak on such matters do so without serious thought or without ever
having faced the challenge. Realistically, a parent may value their child’s
life above their own, a soldier may give his life to save his comrades, yet
even there the choice is not without inconceivable weight. Even still it is not
a constant value for every parent or soldier. We value self and life so much
that for the vast majority of people nothing can take precedence. And yet, the
Scripture repeatedly challenges our selfishness and directs us to that which is
definitively of more value than our lives; the love of God.
The Lord
Jesus tells us to give up our lives for Him, to die to our self, to give up
parents and children for His sake. He does not say this to teach that life is
worthless or meaningless, on the contrary, he says it to show the value of the
everlasting life that comes through Him. If you are clinging to something that
is temporary, even your own existence, then you miss the power and gift of the
Gospel. The Psalmist, quoted above, says that God’s lovingkindness is better
than life itself. If anything is worth more than life its God’s love. If
anything provides purpose, understanding, knowledge, and fulfillment, its God’s
love. How can we pursue our own glory when we know that it will never last? How
shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? The beauty of God’s love is
that it is better than life because it is eternal life.
Where is
God’s love ever made more clear than on the cross? The Son of God, the Lord
Jesus Christ gave up His life and suffered the curse of sin, death, and hell in
your place because of His lovingkindness. That lovingkindess on his part was of
more value than His own life. When the Christian dies to self, is born again,
and gives up all to follow Christ, he or she gains all the riches of heaven and
eternity. Certainly of more value than 100 years on earth. The Psalmist declares
that he will praise the Lord for this love, for the Gospel. May we be of that
mind as well. May we say with Job, that we will trust in Him even if he slays
us, because there is no other. Eternal life is more precious than anything. Christ
has given us that and all that comes with it because of His lovingkindness. May
we always remember that this is better and more precious than earthly life.
In Christ,
Pastor Basile
