Psalm 16:10-11 - For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let Your Holy One see corruption. You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
As the saying goes, "Nothing is certain in life but death and taxes." Taxes are owed to the government, as God commands: "Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed" (Romans 13:7a). Death is what we have earned for ourselves: "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23a). The penalty for sin was decreed by God in Eden, but Adam and Eve did not heed God's warning. They ate the fruit forbidden to them and brought on themselves and on all of their descendants the sentence of death. It is a penalty that brings spiritual death, the hopelessness of separation from God, ruined relationships with one another and with creation and finally, physical death and decay. As God told Adam: "You are dust, and to dust you shall return" (Genesis 3:19b).
God is just and holy, perfect in justice and righteous judgment. He loves the world and the people He created, but He could not, would not, ignore sin. The wages of sin had to be paid, and God, in grace and love, sent His own Son to pay that price. The debt of sin we owe was cancelled, nailed to the cross of Jesus. He suffered the penalty of death decreed so long ago in Eden. He took our sins onto Himself and for us He was forsaken, abandoned to the suffering and death of the cross. Jesus was buried, but as His ancestor David foretold in this psalm, Jesus did not suffer decay or corruption. Death could not hold the sinless Son of God. He rose from the dead, and through His resurrection we have His sure and certain promise of eternal life: "Because I live, you also will live" (John 14:19b).
In these days before our Savior returns, we will still experience physical death as we fall asleep in Jesus. But at death, when we are away from our bodies, we will be at home with the Lord. Our bodies will be buried and experience decay. But the grave could not hold Jesus, and the grave will not hold us either, because Jesus won the victory over death. When He comes back on the Last Day, we will be raised bodily to life, as He was raised. In Jesus, God has made known to us the path of life, and we will know fullness of joy in His presence forever. For now, we can be certain that we still have to pay our taxes-but we trust in Jesus, and we have the greater certainty of eternal life!
WE PRAY: Risen Lord, You have made known to me the path of life. I will live in Your presence forever. I am sure of it! Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler.
Reflection Questions:
1. How did Adam and Eve's disobedience to God impact the whole world? Does it still impact the world today? How so?
2. What did God do to remedy the sin caused by Adam and Eve's disobedience?
3. What do you think being in the presence of Jesus will be like?
Today's Bible Readings: Daniel 3-4 Titus 2
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