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Num. 9
Can you imagine living never knowing if you would remain where you were the next day or if you would pack up and move? It would sure change the way you made plans for your life! In reality, though, we do live that way. We simply deny it. We truthfully don’t know where we will be or what we will be doing from one minute to the next. It doesn’t pay to get too attached to the way things are because they can change in an instant. They typically don’t, however, so it’s easy to fall into the illusion that we have some say over what comes next.
Planning and preparation are part of prudent living. I think it’s important, though, for us to always be mindful of the brevity and uncertainty of life. James mentioned this in his letter. “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” (Jms. 4:14). This all goes back to the idea of living intentionally. It’s one thing to know a truth. It is a totally different thing to keep that truth at the front of your mind so that it affects everything about how you live.
Thus, there are certain truths that we need to make an intentional effort to remain cognizant of. For one thing, we need to remind ourselves that this life is a gift that we should never take for granted. For another, we need to remember that God is ultimately the One in control. So we need to keep God first and always be ready to move at His prompting. And, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” (Prov 27:1).
Ps. 45
The title of this Psalm in the NASB is, “A Song Celebrating the King’s Marriage.” At its core, it sounds to me like the coming celebration of Christ’s return for His bride, the Church. It speaks of the King’s grace, truth, meekness, and righteousness, and how these led to His eternal throne and blessing. It also speaks of the queen, who left her people and her father’s house to bow before her Lord. This is Jesus’ sacrifice for us and our repentant acceptance of it. The Psalm also mentions the rich and powerful acknowledging the King, because on that day every knee will bow and every tongue confess His Lordship. And in the end, the complete fulfillment of God’s promise. “I will cause Your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore the peoples will give You thanks forever and ever.” (Ps. 45:17).
SoS. 7
“And over our doors are all choice fruits, both new and old, which I have saved up for you, my beloved.” (SoS 7:13b-c). For some reason, this made me think of storing up our treasures in heaven in connection with bearing fruit for God. I tend to focus on what I am accomplishing or ‘producing’ here and now in this life. But it’s the produce that I can’t really see – the characteristics of my life that shine the light on God – that really matter. These are the fruits that become my forever treasure. And what I love about this verse is that it reminds me that I don’t store these treasures up simply for myself. No, I save them up to share with my beloved Lord.