PSALMS 103:14
FRAIL FRAMES FORECAST FUTURE FIXEDNESS
I. FRAME:
A. Finite.
B. Frail.
C. Fleeting.
II. FACTS:
A. Full.
B. Formative.
C. Failings.
III. FUTURE:
A. Freedom.
B. Fellowship.
C. Fixedness.
The mystery of the human body is still just that: a mystery. Although doctors, scientists and many others have studied the body from its inception unto its death, no one has yet been able to fathom the wonderment of it.
Some say that it is nothing more than just an animal-much like the apes and monkeys. Others think that it is more of a complex entity that has certain animal characterizes but it is different from the animals. Some view the body as a well-oiled machine, which is born, functions quite well under ordinary conditions, then disintegrates at the point of death.
Others view the body as little more than the results of eons of time in the evolutionary cycle with no souls, no spirit, nothing more than mere intellect and natural responses. While most wave their idea of the body as being correct, others think differently. David was one of those people. He viewed the body as being formed by God and made of dust. Furthermore, as long as the body existed, it was/is under the watchful eye of God. Adding to this thought, have been other Biblical writers, which have added their insights into the makeup of the body as given to them by God, which includes a soul and spirit. All the writers of the sacred word felt that when life ceases, the spirit given to the body by God, returns to God for His judgment while the flesh decays away.
Hence, the Biblical writers have elevated the body to a new and better height than what the secular world has given to the body of mankind. According to the Scriptures, the body is more than just an animal, which is born then dies and disappears. The Scared Word adds that the body is not a process of blind evolution, but that it is especially made by God, with inherent facilities to worship Him: the soul and spirit of mankind.
David said that our bodies are frail, they are made of dust and God knows all about us. He is much aware of who we are and what we endure in this life. As such, the body is the direct result of God’s gift to each individual and how we treat that body as well as how we treat others’ bodies reflect on us and ultimately upon the God that made the body-out of dust.
As I study the verse before me, I see three things about this body of dust as made by God. The first one is in regards to the FRAME we have as it contains the body of dust made by God. The next part of my verse has to do with certain FACTS about this body of dust. Lastly, I see a FUTURE for the body God has given us, especially the body of a Christian.
I. FRAME: David said that we are dust and that God is mindful of our limitations. It is a comfort to know that David was correct, especially in the day in which we live when all of us have to do super human tasks and obligations.
The first thing I note about our FRAME of dust is the fact that we are Finite. We are born of dust and we will return to the dust of the earth from which we came. In spite of this truth, there are many people who act as if they will live forever; spending outlandish money on things they think will keep them young and beautiful. Others may not spend a great deal on the concept of staying young. Some of them ignore the advance of age and live as if they will never die. However, I read in my Bible where it says that man is appointed to death and after that comes the judgment of God. We are Finite and we do not live forever on this earth. Our bodies will decay away because they are dust, but our souls will live on.
Another aspect of our bodies is the fact that the dust from which we come is frail and is of the earth. What we see on the outside of others and us is a covering for what lies on the inside. We may be strong, healthy and robust, but in the end, age overtakes all of us and we have to succumb to the advancement of time. That which was honed to perfection in a perfect body by some body builders will fail because our bodies, our FRAME, will fail us in the end. Regardless of the amount of medicine we can consume while alive, the body feels the irresistible pull to return to its home-the dust of the earth and if we live long enough, we will sense the frailties of our bodies as we approach old age. Even in older age, we must remember that God knows our bodies, which He made from the dust of the Earth. David said that God is mindful of our earthly frames because we are made of dust. This is a great comfort for all of God’s children to remember always.
There is one more aspect of our earthly FRAME, which is this body is a Fleeting entity. Note how quickly time flies. It is a miracle to me how God in His wisdom took the dust of the field and made man. Since that time, man has begotten man and we are all of dust just as was Adam. God could have made us to last forever-He did not. He could have arranged it so that there would be no time, no advancement of time upon these dust made bodies-He did not. He made us; He set the element of time in motion; He decreed that we would not always live in this body of dust; but we would all feel the effects of time and age. In addition, oh, how fast the element of time moves swiftly as we live in these earthly bodies. Even those Old Testament saints that lived for hundreds of years, looked back and declared that time went by quickly. When Jacob addressed Pharaoh, he said my days have been many but quickly have passed.
We are born; we grow; we marry; we procreate; we see our children’s children; and, even though our life might be numbered in the nineties or higher, we all look back and say, “It has passed so quickly.” James said our lives are but a vapor, how true! Time guarantees that these dust made bodies of ours passes oh so quickly. David said that God is much aware of our bodies made from dust and He considers all for our well-being, including the rapidity of time upon our bodies.
II. FACTS: As sure as the certainty remains that we are made of dust and our bodies are limited to time and the frailties of the body, there are sober truths that certain other particulars about the body need to be remembered.
The first one I note is that even though we have an earthly tabernacle, which will pass away, our time on this earth-in these tents we call bodies-is full from the time we are born until we die. I cannot comprehend the fact that God took dust, formed it into a body, breathed into it and it becomes alive. To prove my point, the next time you are around a pile of dirt, try to do as God did, and you will see my point. From something inanimate, He created life. Once alive, we move, we have our being. We live; we love; and, we labor. Our lives are Full to overflowing. The normal human being usually has more to do than there are hours in the day. At least this seems to be the plight of modern man. Cursory reading of history often reveals the same fact about our ancestors. We labor long and hard and yet there is still more to do. We weary ourselves over the tasks we assume. The truth is that this dust made body of ours is preoccupied with much. Our lives are very Full.
Besides having a very busy life, we must also use our time in this earthly dust made body to prepare us for the future. While we live in this FRAME of dust, we also must be aware of the fact that this world is not our home and we are here, dwelling in this body, which will soon decay. Yet, the spirit God gave to each of us will live on. It is while we live in this earthly body, that we must take the time to shape our destiny for the future. This time in this earthly body is reserved not only for fullness of activity, but it is also the time of our Formative period of where we will spend eternity once this tabernacle of dust ceases to function with life.
One other FACT we need to remember when thinking about our bodies made of dust-we will have our Failures. we are not perfect. We make decisions and choices, which we hope, are correct, but we often fail-this is a fact attested to by every human being who possesses sound reasoning. Our bodies of dust cannot be perfect and God is aware of this sober truth. We do fail. We fail in our reasoning ability. We fail in our judgment. We make mistakes. We hurt people. Others hurt us. We start for the Kingdom of God, we slip here or there. We back up, and try again. We bury our heads in our pillows at night and weep because we have failed others and ourselves, yet God knows our bodies, our FRAMES and He forgives.
All that I have said so far pertains to this earthly body. In addition, as I intimated, it is only temporary. However, while we live in this tent of clay, we are to remember that we are headed for future event when we will lay aside this body and meet God. It is while we live here in this frame of dust, we are to prepare ourselves for God’s home where we will inherit a body not made by man, but will be fashioned by God himself. Once we Christians cross the line of worlds, we will lay aside the dust made frame and put on the robes of Righteousness in our new body. Yet, the questions arise, as to what we shall do once we leave behind this frail body and inherit a new body. I do not have all of the answers, but I do have somewhat of an ides on some aspects of our new heavenly bodies and what we can do with them in Heaven.
III. FUTURE: What, one may ask, does the future hold for this frame of dust? The answer is that it will return to this Earth from whence it came. Yet, that is not all there is to this life: to be made of dust and then to return to dust with no hope of something better. While we inhabit this frame of dust, God is aware of all of us and He, in His wisdom, has tried to help us to surpass this frame of dust as we leave it behind. That is why He is aware of us and He has done all He can to help us to better ourselves now and then when we lay this body to rest. Because of His goodness, God has given into this frame of dust a soul that will last forever while the body decays away. Once anyone accepts this fact and then turns to the God who gave us the soul to serve Him, that one does not have to face a bleak future while he inhabits this frame of dust. Far from this fact, is the truth. We who have invited God to dwell within this frame of dust of our bodies will experience some things that we can only imagine at the present.
The first thing I list in our hope of a life past this frame of dust is a new found Freedom we will have in the next life-if we have invited God to dwell with us in our house of dust. Now, we are limited-then, without the shackle of an earthly body of dust, we will experience a new found Freedom once we let this body return to the dust from which we came. God is aware of us and when He calls us to come to Him, we will leave this body and go to live in the mansion He has prepared for us and we will experience Freedom as we never experienced it before. Our newfound release from this earthly body will mean the absences of all that troubles us here below. All of our toil will be gone. All the aches and cares of this dust made frame will be no more. We will have the Freedom of travel, of no labor, no tears, and we will be free from all that hinders us here from living a perfect life while we live in this body of earth.
Not only will we have new Freedom without this earthly body, we will have Fellowship with God and all who have gone before us and who will come after us. Here, our bodies hinder us as they are bound to time and place. God knows this, but once we lay down our bodies in death, we will put on a new body-not of dust-but of heavenly robes and we will be free from the constraints of time and place and we will have sweet communion with God through out eternity.
The last part of the FUTURE for us who believe in Christ will be the fact that our new body will be a Fixed entity, which will never wear out, grow old, become sick, or painful. God knows our earthly bodies now, but in His Home, He will give us a permanent body that will be fixed for eternity.
God does indeed know our earthly frame of dust, but He has done much to help us surpass this body and to prepare ourselves to live with Him for ever in a glorified state where we will have no use for this earthly body ever again. I want to lay aside this dust, which I call my body and go to live with Him in His home in a new body. Someday, my wishes will come true.
