SOMETHING BETTER!

"God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect."
(Hebrews 11:40).

Devotion 5 of 10

SOME BETTER THINGS

The wonder of our situation is the ABUNDANCE of "better things." Little wonder the Psalmist exclaimed, "And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room" (Psa 31:8). There is plenty of room to navigate in the Spirit, and yet we are not in "wide open spaces." The large area into which grace brings us if filled with "good things." Again the Psalmist shouted, "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah" (Psa 68:19). The NIV translates this verse, "who daily bears our burdens." The word "benefits" is not found in the original text, which reads "Who daily burdens us." One view is that the burdens referred to are lifted (NIV). The other view is that the burden consists of divine benefits--something like Christ's burden; "my burden is light" (Matt 1:30), or Paul's "far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (2 Cor 4:17). I choose the latter view--that of spiritual abundance. That seems to be more befitting of "the God of our salvation" than the mere lifting of burdens. While it is true, the Lord lifts the burden of sin and sorrow from us, that is not His primary work; it is preparatory for the major work. The provision of required benefits enables us to finish the race, not merely to relieve us of our burden.

Better to depart

Is it possible that dying is better than living? Such a thought is morose any place but "in Christ
Jesus." "For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better" (Phil 1:23). The sanctifying power of faith is seen in this affirmation. Once possessed, it
transforms the heart, lifting its possessor out of this world into heavenly places. The believer dies to this world through personal identity with the Christ of the cross. As it is written, "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Gal 6:14). Now the sting of death is removed, and it becomes the gateway to glorification. That is the reason it is "far better" to "depart" from this world. By that means we enter into a realm where death is forbidden.

The death of the "saints" is "precious" in the sight of the Lord. "Precious in the sight of the
LORD is the death of His saints" (Psa 116:15). It is "precious" because this is the point at which they are ushered into His presence. Redemption brought them into fellowship with Him through Christ and by the Spirit. Death brings them into a fuller measure of that fellowship.

A blessing is pronounced upon those that die in the Lord. "And I heard a voice from heaven
saying, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord henceforth." "Blessed indeed," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!" (Rev 14:13, RVS). The
blessedness of the situation is confirmed by the response of the Holy Spirit: "Blessed indeed!" Death puts the saints beyond the reach of the "last enemy" (1 Cor 15:26). The adversary of their souls can no longer reach them. They are beyond the perimeter of temptation, trouble, and sorrow! Blessed condition! Truly, it is "far better" to "depart" from the battle field and enter into the haven of rest! "Far better" to "depart" the realm of weakness to enter one of strength! "Far better" to "depart" the land of sorrow and enter the "joy of the Lord."

PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank and praise you through Jesus Christ for the exceeding greatness of Your salvation! The sanctifying power of Christ's atoning death is seen in the abundance of
"better things" that You give us in Him! By Your matchless grace, death itself becomes a blessing! All praise to You!

-- TOMORROW: A BETTER COVENANT --