“I will not die, but live, and declare what LO.R.D. Have done. lO.R.D. He chastised me severely, but did not put me under the power of death.”
Psalm 118:17-18
i will survive
Sometimes the thread of life breaks. We rely on it until suddenly there is too much stress. A doctor provides a diagnosis. A phone call startles you early in the morning. A perfectly normal trip to work turns into an accident that lands you in the hospital. Everything changes in a moment.
In such moments, we remember what we prefer to ignore: we are not in control of our lives. We plan, we manage, we secure. But in the blink of an eye our limitations are exposed.
That is why the words of the psalmist are important. In the midst of difficulty, the psalmist declared, “I will not die but live.”
How can he say this? This is not ego. This is faith. He knew who had taken his life. Even when the Lord disciplined him, the Lord did not abandon him. The Lord guided him, protected him and protected him. Those words find their full meaning in Jesus.
On Easter morning, Jesus rose from the dead. Death attacked him with everything he had, but it could not catch him. Because Jesus is alive, death is no longer the last word. That means this confession becomes our own.
Death is not our end. When we die we do not disappear into the void. Because Jesus defeated death, whoever trusts in Him will live even after death.
One day, Jesus will sound the alarm, and those who slept in Him will wake up to be with Him forever. With fresh eyes, we will see God and be with Him forever. What joy and comfort that promise brings!
No matter how much stress you face today, your story does not end with death. The Lord holds your life in His hands. So even in difficulty, we confess: I will not die but live!
Prayer:
Living Savior, you opened the door to eternal life. Let me trust in your promises and help me proclaim what you have done. Amen.
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All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used with permission from Zondervan. All rights reserved world wide.
