Saturday, December 6, 2014

Things of the flesh are vanity

Pam Padgett - teacher   

Psalm 39:5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.

People tend to put much emphasis on things of the flesh, such as age, appearance, activity level, physical abilities.  Yesterday while at a store I heard a woman say that she wanted to be younger.  Much effort is spent by many trying to look attractive.  Physical fitness if highly regarded in the world and worked toward. 

Yet none of these things have any eternal value and will pass away. 

Even if someone were at what they considered to be the "best" age, appearance, and physical fitness, these things are as nothing before God.   

Psalm 147:10 He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.
11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

Things of the flesh, that which we can see with our eyes, are vanity, of no real value.  And it is vanity to seek after these things. 

Belonging to God, hearing what God speaks to us by His Spirit, being led by the Holy Spirit in pleasing God, putting our hope and trust in God ... these are of great value.

1 Timothy 4:7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. 8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.