03/27/2025 – Day 270 – Psalm – Chapters 114 – 116 / Three cycles of comments and I repeat 116:15 for the third time, a first perhaps never to be repeated.
“The death of His faithful ones is valuable in the Lord’s sight.” Psalm 116:15
It doesn’t make sense to the world. But we are in the world but not of the world. Take just a few minutes to read and reflect on these 18 verses on “sharing in the suffering of Christ”, although I don’t think John 3:16 qualifies in this category:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/sharing_in_suffering
Let’s look at “The Apologetics Study Bible” commentary on this verse:
“116:15 The Psalmist confessed that the love of God would not easily permit adversity (4:3) or an early
death for His saints (79:11; 102:20). That which is ‘valuable’ is rare and highly treasured. Some scholars argue for a meaning ‘grievous’ for the word yaqar, interpreting the line to mean that the deaths of his saints grieves the Lord, but that makes Him into a mere observer. No saints die untimely deaths in God’s plan; their deaths are precious to Him.”
“Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life because of Me will save it. What is a man benefited if he gains the whole world, yet loses or forfeits himself?” (Luke 9: 23 – 25)
If you do a search on “Day 270” , you will see the prior two cycle posts, dated 02/11/2021 and 11/15/2022.
Soli Deo Gloria!
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Questions for fellowship generation, the lifelong sanctification process:
- What does the text reveal about God’s character?
- How has this reading generated prayer for you and/or us?
- What themes stand out to you in this bible study?
- How does our reading fit into the bigger picture (creation, the fall, restoration, etc.)?
- What verse(s) jumped out at you like never before? Is it explainable at this point?
- Do you have any questions you would like to put before the group as to how to interpret any particular verse(s) in our reading. Let scripture testify to scripture: Share with us where you sense contradiction between passages elsewhere.
- What did you find convicting and inspiring at the same time? Share with us how the Spirit of God is working within you as a messenger, both within and outside of our fellowship group.
- Share with the group how our study is calling or confirming to you a new mission to glorify God in our times.