Our Life Preserver!

Psalm 119:153–160 (NIV),

¹⁵³ Look on my suffering and deliver me, for I have not forgotten your law. ¹⁵⁴ Defend my cause and redeem me; preserve my life according to your promise. ¹⁵⁵ Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek out your decrees. ¹⁵⁶ Your compassion, Lord, is great; preserve my life according to your laws. ¹⁵⁷ Many are the foes who persecute me, but I have not turned from your statutes. ¹⁵⁸ I look on the faithless with loathing, for they do not obey your word. 

¹⁵⁹ See how I love your precepts; preserve my life, Lord, in accordance with your love. ¹⁶⁰ All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.

Father, there is a triple cry in this psalm that asks you to "preserve life".  You are life.  All life comes from you. “‘For in [You] we live and move and have our being . . ..” (Acts 17:28a, NIV). You are El Shaddai, the Giver and Sustainer of Life. “[You are] before all things, and in [You] all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17, NIV). For us to cry to You to preserve life is right and true.  But what life do You promise that is according to Your Word? You don't promise that we will all live forever in this life.  There's no where that I know where that is found.  But Your Word does promise eternal life. Is not the songwriter asking You to preserve his life eternal?  Indeed "salvation is far from the wicked."   They don't seek God's Word.  But the Christian does.  The Christian hangs onto Your Word as a lifeline. So even though the enemies of this life are many; they do not exceed the greatness of Your compassion. Your laws are eternal and so is my life as I obey and follow them.

But Father I do not obey them perfectly.  Father I do not love them fully. So today I look to Christ who did.  He is the one who lived life fully glorifying You and doing everything You commanded Him to do.  It is His righteous loving and keeping of the Law that I trust in.  Your life-giving Promise is really based on the obedience of Christ and the promise that all who trust in Him are given freely by grace His righteousness.  Praise You Father.  Praise Jesus.  Thank you Lord.