“This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. They are like sheep and are destined to die; death will be their shepherd (but the upright will prevail over them in the morning). Their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions. But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.”
- Psalm 49:13-15 -

While people might jibe that ‘religion’ is about ‘pie in the sky when you die’, the Old Testament refutes that claim. Death is the common end for both man and beast (v 14); never to see the light of life again (vs 11,15,19). The point is that this is everybody’s fate, high and low, wealthy, wise, foolish, and senseless. Whatever the boasts and splendor of the fortunate, it is all destined to end in the same way – decay and dust (v 14). Moreover, there is no way out. Nobody can redeem us from our common fate (v 7). People hoped for pie in this life, not beyond it.

There is continuity in that life ends in death for all of us, but there is a pivotal event that changes everything: ‘we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died … if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come.’ There is, after all, a Redeemer who can ransom us for God, despite verse 7! There is something radically ‘new’ in the new covenant: abundant life in the now and in the life to come. Death is no longer our shepherd (v 14). We have another. Perhaps there is just a hint of this in verse 15: God ‘will surely take me to himself’. A well-placed hope.

Prayer: Thank You Lord; because I am a new creation in Christ, I can have abundant life now and in the life to come.

(A Summary from Encounter with God)

* The following hymn was the confession of my soul when I met Jesus in my college days:

What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought
Since Jesus came into my heart!
I have light in my soul for which long I have sought,
Since Jesus came into my heart!

There's a light in the valley of death now for me,
Since Jesus came into my heart!
And the gates of the City beyond I can see,
Since Jesus came into my heart!

I shall go there to dwell in that city, I know,
Since Jesus came into my heart!
And I'm happy, so happy, as onward I go,
Since Jesus came into my heart!