Our Bones Are Scattered

“Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth. But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.” (Psalm 141:7-8)

Broken and torn all apart, with our bones scattered “at the grave's mouth”. But notice that the body is “at” and not “in” the grave’s mouth. Trials and tribulations in this life may break our bodies and deposit us at death’s door, but God stops it there, just like He did with Job. We are broken, but not destroyed. There is a reason

The two worst fates our body, our earthen vessel can face are destruction and death. But our treasure is not our earthen vessel, but rather in our earthen vessel.

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. (2 Corinthians 4: 7-11)

The breaking body and death’s door quickens and strengthens the soul when our, “eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord: in thee is my trust”.

“For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” (2 Corinthians 5:1).

Notice that the Psalmist describes destruction and death of his body, but his concern expressed to God is about his soul. This is the reason.

The body is temporary and temporal. The spirit is perpetual. The devil wants us body-centric. God wants us spirit-centric. The devil will delight the lusts and senses of our body to make our spirit a slave to it. God will break the body to free and quicken our spirit from it.

Everyone in this life will be broken and delivered to death's door. We will be troubled, distressed, perplexed, persecuted and cast down. But if we keep our eyes on the Lord and maintain our complete trust in God, then we will see through the trials of the day unto the salvation and glory of Him. Look past the body. Look past death. Look unto God.

Bill Hitchcock