Resting Securely (Part 2)

Psalm 16:9-10

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I talked to last time with you about resting secure. We’re looking at those verses in Psalm 16, where David says,

My body will rest secure because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your holy one see decay.

Now, many people today claim that they’re Christians. They identify as a Christian. However, what makes the real difference between someone who’s just a nominal Christian and someone who actually is a Christian is the answer to this question. What is your comfort? I want to go back to that picture of a kid going to bed at night safe and sound. So often you might picture a young child with their favorite teddy bear or their favorite blanket, and they bring it with them everywhere, right? They hold on to it. They never let go. Will they let mom and dad wash it? No, no, no. Will they let mom and dad change it out for her new one? Absolutely not.

And so after a few years, you can imagine what that blanket or that teddy bear starts to look like, what it starts to smell like. And for us as adults, we don’t get it. We’re like, here, trade out with this brand new thing. It’s the same. But that child won’t let go of that threadbare blanket. I just think how often we are the same way. What gives us comfort? What gives me comfort? What are those things I’m holding on to, clinging on to as my comfort in this life?

You know, is it my my 401? Or all my money in the stock market? Well, that can go away in the blink of an eye. Maybe we tell ourselves what gives my life meaning and comfort is all my relationships of love, all my connections of love with all the people and all my family. But those bonds of love decay over time. Marriages end. Children leave the nest. Grandparents forget. Ultimately, what ends up bringing people back together is a hole in the ground. People tell themselves, Well, my comfort is being able to live the most out of life, live it to the fullest while I can. There’s a sad irony to life is that when we’re young and we have the energy to do things, we don’t have the time or the money. But one day, when we actually have the time and the money to really live our life, we won’t have the energy to do it.

Where do you draw your comfort? Today God takes that threadbare blanket out of our hands that all things decay and instead places in our hands his Savior, Jesus. The one thing that doesn’t decay. Jesus, who is eternal. Jesus, who gives you a treasure in heaven through his life, death and resurrection. And this, this perfection that He hands you. He gives you a treasure in heaven. That moth cannot destroy, rust cannot destroy. It’s kept there safe for you.

Jesus promises a bond of love. That nothing in this life can ever decay or tear away. Bonds of love so deep he would go to the cross and die for you. And forgive your sins. That’s eternal love. Jesus promises life to the full. This life disappoints me. But the life Jesus gives, eternal life, that will never disappoint.

Now, the last thing I want to say before I let you go today is when we look at those words in Psalm 16, that’s actually Jesus speaking. I will rest secure because you will not let your holy one see decay. That’s Jesus speaking. Just think about that. Jesus, God’s Son had to be laid down in the bed of death. And do you know why he did it? Because he wouldn’t let go of the threadbare us. You and me, people who decay. But Jesus loves us so much. He was willing to lie down in that bed for you and me. And because God kept His promise to Jesus. God’s promise is true for you. That’s not how our story will end any more than how Jesus story ended. Amen.