“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’
They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity;
there is none who does good.
God looks down from heaven
on the children of man
to see if there are any who understand,
who seek after God.
They have all fallen away;
together they have become corrupt;
there is none who does good,
not even one.“
– Psalm 53:1-3
Have you ever reflected on your life and thought, “There’s no way I’m getting into Heaven.”
Two people, who were starting to get on in years, began thinking about their life, God, heaven, hell, and what kind of mark they had made on the world. They decided it was worth really taking some time to reflect and consider these things. So, they decided to spend some time in nature and quietly reflect on their lives.
They went on a long hike up a mountain. It took several days, but they finally reached the peak. They each went off on their own and stood and looked out over the earth below them and contemplated for an entire day.
At the end of the day, the first looked up to heaven and said,
“God, this world you have created is incredible. As I reflect on my life, I know I haven’t been perfect, but I think I’ve done a pretty good job overall. I’ve helped people and helped Your creation. I look forward to standing before You and I think You’ll agree I deserve to be in heaven.”
Around the same time, the second person tried to look up to heaven but found they couldn’t. So, they looked down at their feet and said,
“God, this world you have created is incredible. As I reflect on my life, I realize I have done many things wrong. There are so many words I wish I could take back, actions I am ashamed of, and thoughts I can’t even bear having thought. I know I deserve hell. I can never make up for what I’ve done. If there’s any way You can forgive me, I beg for mercy.”
All Corrupt And Hopeless
In Psalm 53, the Psalmist reflects on the condition of the people of the world and, by the revelation of the Holy Spirit, sees that there are no good people. No one seeks God. Everyone has become corrupt.
This isn’t just true of the time when Psalm 53 was written. It is true today. We have all fallen into sin. All of us, every day, do things, say things, and think things worthy of our condemnation.
Hope For The Hopeless
Psalm 53:1-5 paints a very bleak picture for us. Yet, it ends on a note of hope.
“Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When God restores the fortunes of his people,
let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.“
– Psalm 53:6
There is still hope. The hope lies not in ourselves, but in God, who sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross so that anyone who believes in Jesus would be saved. They are forgiven of their sins and made righteous in the eyes of God.
For these two people at the beginning of this devotion, one will return from their trip feeling hopeful and the other hopeless. Yet, it is the one who feels hopeless for whom there is hope. Jesus is the hope of the hopeless. If that person believes in Jesus, they can once again look to heaven…not because of their own goodness, but because of the grace of Jesus Christ.
What Now?
Dear Jesus,
As I reflect on my life, I know that I have not lived how I should. I have hurt people and often rejected Your ways to follow my own desires. Please forgive me. I know that if it depends on my life, I have no hope before You. However, I place my hope in Jesus and trust Your promises and grace and mercy.
Please also reveal Gospel to the following people who do not, yet, know You.
(Pray for anyone you know who does not believe in Jesus.)
Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
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