Psalm 56:8
“You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book?”
David refers to God’s book. This is not a reference to the Word of God; for he tells us that the content of this book is David’s tears. He is not the only writer to refer to a book that God possesses. The Apostle John wrote,
“But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” Revelation 21:27
The Old Testament prophet Malachi also refers to this book,
“Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name.” Malachi 3:16
These writers are speaking of a book whose author is God, and the subject is the saints. It is a book that contains the names of all who have trusted in Christ for salvation. As a result, they have become citizens of heaven, and children of God. It is of the utmost importance that your name be found on this scroll.
John further explained its importance,
“And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:15
Whether it is the same book, or another one that David is referring to, we cannot know. In addition to our names being listed, David makes clear that our difficulties are recorded as well. He states that our tears are saved in His book. In poetic fashion, Jesus illustrated God’s love for us when He stated,
“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” Matthew 10:30
There is nothing we face that God does not know about. He watches closely the affairs of our lives. He does not watch as an uninvolved observer. Instead, He allows and even uses, the struggles we face to draw us nearer to Himself, and produce His character in our lives. A good friend of mine used the term “Father-Filtered”, to describe how God allows the trials we face. In the midst of these trials, God is carefully watching; providing His sustaining grace and even writing down our sorrows. I have to believe they are recorded, as they have to do with future rewards.
“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” James 1:12
Malachi’s reference to this book is in the context of our communication about God with one another. He states that when the saints talk about God, heaven is listening and recording the conversation. Think about the majesty of that. When you are facing a trial and call a friend who counsels you with the Word, Heaven watches and writes it down. When you share a praise report or a verse that especially touched your heart, God Himself writes it down in a book. Perhaps, the greatest thing we can share is the simple truth of the Gospel with our family, friends and neighbors. This passage has always made me wonder how large my book is. I don’t want to get to heaven and find that mine is the size of a bulletin or Bible tract. Let’s be sure to communicate the things of God so that our book is more like a set of books or a full library.
Pastor Jim
Psalm 56
- What is David’s response to fear?
- Is fear starting to take rule over your life? Lay it before Jesus and do what David says. Verses 3-4.
- Where are your tears?
- Dwell on verse 13 for a moment… God really does love you!
It is remarkable how many Biblical phrases have become part of our everyday lives. When a person is diagnosed with a disease that advanced medicine has no hope of curing, it is common for this passage to be quoted. They are told to “put their house in order.” Sadly, Ahithophel made preparations to die, without giving the proper consideration to what he would face after death. Too many still approach life that way. It might be, you have purchased life insurance, set aside a nice little nest egg for your family, and even reconciled with all who were at odds with you; while neglecting to give the proper consideration to what is ahead. We cannot wait until death to prepare for eternal life.
We have all had the silly daydream of winning the lottery, finding a stash of money in a secret compartment in the attic, inheriting millions from an unknown uncle, or inventing the next great product everyone wants to own. Why? I think the answer is simply that we would all love to have an unlimited supply of cash; not for it’s intrinsic value, but because of what we can obtain with it, and for the security that it brings. Imagine never having to worry about the bills again.
In addition to being a beautiful and timeless love story, Ruth is also a picture of redemption. Ruth was a descendant of Moab and as such was born under a curse (Deuteronomy 23:3-4). Naomi and her family had left Israel and dwelt among the Moabites and, no doubt, returned to the land with the stigma of being a backslider. Perhaps some thought the loss of her family was the judgment of God for leaving Israel. These two woman are a picture of all of us. We are born in sin, and prove it daily with our actions. Paul declared,
To say that Naomi had been through some difficult times is a colossal understatement. Because of a severe famine throughout Israel, she and Elimelech made the difficult decision to leave their homeland, family and friends, in search of a better life. The road that promised a better life actually led to heartache. Naomi watched as her husband died, and shortly thereafter, each of her two sons died. Widowed, heartbroken and left with nothing, she decided to make her way back to Israel. After such grievous trials, it would be easy to concede, this was the end for her.
Time is an interesting thing. We are always spending it and it cannot be saved. Failing to do something today, does not guarantee we will have the time for it tomorrow. Felix’s encounter with the Gospel message teaches us something important about how we use this moment for eternal things.
After his arrest, Paul shared Christ with the mob that tried to kill him. They listened intently to him because his message was fascinating and relevant. It seemed they had a true interest, and even an openness to the Gospel. But that all changed once Paul mentioned the Gentiles. That single word caused the hearers to close their ears, harden their hearts, and reject the message of Christ.
Paul and his companions had been traveling from city to city and town to town; sharing the gospel, making disciples, and planting churches. They spent relatively short periods of time in each of these places until Corinth; we read, Paul remained there for a year and six months. Corinth did not seem to be one of the easier places for ministry. Scripture tells us the Jews were hardened to the Gospel. Paul and his companions faced persecution in the form of threats, arrest, and beatings. Later we read, even the gentiles who responded to the Gospel were very carnal; and Paul had to use cunning to ensure that they learned to trust Christ and not men. Yet, with all this, we read that Paul remained a year and six months pastoring this young and growing flock. What were the things that enabled him to remain, while facing such difficulty?
We read, they spoke in a way that resulted in many believing in Christ; which in turn, results in eternal life. It is worth noting that there is a way to speak which will have an impact upon others for eternity. Their speaking included at least three things:
The story of Rahab is a story of redemption. It is nothing short of a miracle. The Spirit opened Rahab’s eyes to understand that YHWH is the true and living God. This happened as a result of the Word of God reaching her ears long before the spies ever set foot in Jericho. For decades, her people had been hearing stories of a people whose God had parted the Red Sea and given them victory over Egyptian bondage. Now those same people were at her doorstep, and Rahab wanted to join the people and the God of Israel. She had come to realize, salvation would be found in God alone, but she did not want to follow Him alone. In what is a beautiful example of intercessory prayer, Rahab pleads not only for herself but for her loved ones. 
Jim Gallagher 