Stability

Psalm 102:25-27

New Living Translation

Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth
    and made the heavens with your hands.
They will perish, but you remain forever;
    they will wear out like old clothing.
You will change them like a garment
    and discard them.
But you are always the same;
    you will live forever

For Encouragement

The best way to clear the fog in trying times and weather the storm through your crucible is to maintain an eternal perspective instead of an earthly one. Everything in this world is temporal. ĹThey are here today and gone tomorrow. They grab our affection and imagination and dull our sensitivity to the only reality—God!

The psalmist highlights the eternality of God at the end of his lament before the Lord in his severe affliction (Psalm 102:25-27).

He begins his lament bereft of strength. He turns to God for attention and pours his heart for favor in His favorable countenance and speedy response to his pleas (1-2).

He acknowledges the brevity of his life and describes his physical distress and pain (3-7, 11). His enemies taunt him as he struggles through the wrath of God, who seems so distant and uncaring (8-10).

The gloomy picture characterizes our human depravity and the sorrow that attends it. Yet there is life beyond the dark shadows of human suffering, the contrast of which is very sharp and refreshing. We see this as his perspective shifts to the abiding nature of the Lord, who never forsakes His people. The Almighty is eternal and enthroned in heaven, and His prominence endures through all generations (12).

The fog is clearing for the psalmist, and visibility brings him hope. God will arise and have compassion in His Zion, His chosen city (13). He will rebuild its glories and return to her. God will respond to the cry of His afflicted children, destitute and broken (13-17).

He raises a memorial of how God did it to generations unborn. God looked down from His lofty throne and had compassion on His suffering and groaning people in prisons and stooped down to rescue them (18-20).

Isn’t it wonderful to know this caring God who hears the groans of His afflicted children and, with loving kindness, stoops down to bring them relief? His eternality and immutability assure us of His faithfulness now and to all generations (23-28). That, my suffering friend, is comforting indeed.

Let us also raise a memorial this Christmas season to current and future generations that our God regarded our sin-afflicted lives with its death sentence, condescended to our level as Immanuel to save us. He lived to fulfill the law, died in our place, was buried, resurrected, and ascended to His glorious position in heaven. In Him, we have received mercy and grace for salvation and hope for eternal dwelling with Him.

That is the Good News we proclaim with joy as we celebrate the manger child and share gifts of His love to all for His glory. Even in our suffering, God, who is with us, sees and rescues us. Amen!