October 19 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Psalm 40

Devotional

Psalm 40 pictures a person sinking away in a deep pit of miry clay. This is the image of a lost sinner. By nature the lost sinner does not even realize his dismal condition. But what grace when God lets the sinner see his lost state! He who sees this can have no more rest. He must receive help and oh, what a wonder that help is still possible. God is ready to rescue the sinner. But, actually, salvation is not really possible with God either, because God is just and according to God’s justice a sinner must perish. So relief is not possible from God either. But behold, God gave His only beloved Son, and this Son gave Himself to descend just as far in that pit as man had fallen. In this way deliverance is still possible because of Christ’s redemptive work. The cord of loving-kindness by which lost ones are drawn up provides salvation. That cord of redemption is Christ.

It is because of Christ that the psalmist could say that this pit belonged to his past. He may say that, by grace in Christ, he was drawn up. He can never forget the account of his conversion. He must tell where he came from in order to say who God has been for him. He was drawn up, meaning he did not do it himself. In fact, he was unable to do it himself.

Therefore, child of God, never forget who you once were outside of God and outside of Christ. Remember your past and do not forget what God has done in your life—how you were rescued from a pit of miry clay. In this manner you will never be able to forget your everlasting Benefactor. In gratefulness you must not forget the grace given to you. Yes, the cord of God’s love is God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Sinking sinners may hold on to that cord with praying hands. It is a cord that not even the devil can break and that is why the time will come when believers will be forever drawn up to be with Him.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.