“I am a sojourner on the earth; hide not your commandments from me!” (Psalm 119.19)
I read this verse and find myself confronted afresh with the reality that I am a sojourner and that I tend to forget it. Here are some specifics of a sermon to myself in view of me remembering this important truth.
Remember your King: In a world full of kings and rulers I am too easily distracted. I forget the top of every org chart is the King of kings, the Lord of lords. The Lord God is powerful in his sovereignty, refreshing in his immutability, kind in his mercy, unbending in his justice, beautiful in his grace, humbling in his love, attractive in his goodness, frightening in his holiness and near in his Son. May I never forget my omni-glorious King!
Remember your Adoption: I was not born in the royal family. I know this, my life declared it! (Eph. 2.1-3) My heart still reminds me of it. (Jer. 17.9) My memories plague me. (1 Pet. 4.3) However, the glorious King saw fit to lavish grace and mercy upon me in his beloved Son. (Tit. 3.4-7) He adopted a needy and helpless rebel to his own. He gave his Son to purchase a sinner like me and make me a son. Through the Son’s perfect life of obedience, sin atoning death, and death defeating resurrection I have been adopted into this great commonwealth of grace. I have a seat at the banquet table reserved. But this reservation is not based upon my works of righteousness, my self-improvements, my aims to reform (for these only inflame wrath and confirm my reservation in hell!). Instead my seat at the table is one that has been purchased, earned, and secured by the blood of Christ: “In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.” (Eph 1.4-6)
Remember your Home: This becomes easier and more encouraging when I remember the first two and conversely more difficult and less real when I forget them. I need to read the sacred words of love that declare reality to me. I need to have my mind continually renewed by the word of God, the Scriptures that I might be transformed from worldly thinking, Christless thinking, and hopeless thinking. (Rom. 12.1-2), (Ps.119.18) The reality of the new heavens and the new earth must pull my heart like a magnet. There is a place awaiting me that is without sin. Everything that plagues, hurts, wounds, troubles, and scares us will be gone. They will dissolve in the great ocean of Christ’s work. Sin will be eternally removed as Christ’s work is eternally efficacious (Heb. 9.14) There will be no more dying because the author of life has conquered death. (1 Cor. 15.55) There will be nothing but glory. And I will be there. And, most importantly, God will be there (Rev.21-22). Yes, this is heart warming, affection stirring, joy producing, life transforming, mind renewing truth!
Yes I must remember that I am a sojourner. I have a matchless King, a mind bending inheritence, and a smile producing home!