Psalm 101

 “Keep me going, Lord!”

Some might say this prayer as they face another day of physical pain or some other deprivation. But these words might also be the true prayer of the servant of the Lord who lives in outward comfort, but can find no inner rest.

We do not know the trials that people all around us may be secretly facing. Think of the ultimate Suffering Servant as He came down from the Mount of Transfiguration and walked into the faith deficit of humanity below. “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?” This was a rare glimpse into the soul of the One who came from His home in heaven to die for His people on earth. At that specific moment, He was not dying on the cross. He had some of the comforts of life. He had just walked through a blessed spiritual experience. Yet He was in some measure of distress. Why? He longed for heaven. Who would have known that if He had not told us?

The psalms give us insight into the hidden soul of the righteous worshiper of God. Even as he sings of the Lord's covenant faithfulness, and commits to the way of integrity, he says these words in prayer: “Oh when will you come to me?”

The public ministry of Jesus Christ was only about three years. The pressures of those years... But then the final betrayal, and the death of the cross... He faced this all for you.

You have been given a Person, Jesus, who is so worthy, that you should eagerly give away everything else up just to keep Him. The message of that one love from that one Person should be infinitely precious to you, because the one Person is perfect beyond all measure. Only when you find that one Person, and are filled with that one message, can you experience the joy of the merchant who was willing to sell everything He had to be able to buy the field that contained that greatest of all pearls.

If you saw the true integrity of Jesus today, everything else would be worthless and evil compared to Him. But now you have this integrity truly credited to you! You are righteous in Him with His faultless righteousness!

Look around at the kingdoms of this world and what will you find? Slanderous tongues, arrogant hearts, deceit, oppression... But the King of righteousness had none of these. He came preaching and teaching the kingdom of heaven. Is it any wonder He was homesick when He came down from the Mount of Transfiguration?

I have never been to heaven, but I believe in the Word of the King. I know that I will dwell one day in Jesus' land. I am so eager for Him that even a period of three years, like that of our Lord's public life, seems too long time to wait.

But the just shall live by faith. May God grant that we would walk in the integrity of faith in this life for as long as we watch and wait for heaven's King. And may He grant us even more of His Spirit during these few years we have on earth.

“How long, O Lord? Oh when will you come to me?”

“Keep me going, O Lord!”