Psalm 19 Divine Revelation

Speaker 1: Thank you for downloading the Wednesday in the Word podcast. I'm Krisan Marotta. Today Libby Taggart is speaking on Psalm 19. You can find more talks on the Psalms on our website by going to wednesdayintheword.com. Thanks for listening. Speaker: If you were at church Sunday, I got real excited. We sang this is my father's world, and I thought perfect. Perfect. So that hymn was written by Maltby D. Babcock, a pastor, and it's said of him that when he was starting out on a walk, one of his walks, that he would say, I'm going out to see my father's world. This is my father's world, and to my listening ears all nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres. This is my father's world, I rest me in the thought of rocks and trees, of skies and seas, his hand the wonders wrought. This is my father's world, the birds their carols raise, the morning light, the lily white, declare their maker's praise. This is my father's world, he shines in all that's fair. In the rustling grass I hear him pass. He speaks to me everywhere. Psalm nineteen has been called one of the most magnificent writings in the Bible, and indeed in all of literature. As in all the Psalms, the structure is poetic, with Psalm 19 extolling the majesty of creation in its first six verses, followed by the far greater glory of the scriptures in the final eight. C.S. Lewis wrote that Psalm 19 is the greatest poem in the Psalter and one of the greatest lyrics in the world. Let's pray. Father, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight. O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Amen. Where is your favorite place to go to enjoy God's creation? Is it the mountains, the beach or the seashore, looking at the night sky, a sunrise or sunset, a forest, or perhaps even a desert? Or as I look at these babies, is it when you look into the fresh face of your newborn for the first time? I never called it fresh after I had mine because it was such an ordeal. But with each of my five grandchildren, the first time I saw them, I thought, this is fresh. It is new and beautiful. So it's different for each of us where we go to enjoy God's creation, but we have a special place where we go that reminds us of the power and wisdom of the goodness and majesty of our creator God. King David was the author of Psalm 19, and his special place was where the sheep were. As a boy, while he kept his father's sheep, he studied God through the creation surrounding him and the scriptures, and in the process he came to know and love his creator and his Savior. Many commentators think that he pinned this psalm as the sun began to rise, illuminating and telling of God's power and wisdom, goodness and majesty, as his magnificent creation was brought to light, causing David once again to worship his God. Now his was not just an aesthetic experience, but it was a spiritual one pointing to a creator God. The genre of our psalm is a hymn, but it also has some characteristics of the wisdom psalms. Now remember that the psalms, all of the genres, were sung as part of worship. And the same is true for us today, as many of our hymns and choruses come from the psalms. There are different types of hymns, but the structure is similar. Number one, they begin with a call to worship. Number two, they expand on the reasons that God should be praised. And number three, they include and sometimes conclude with further calls to praise or a response to the praise. So in Psalm 19, we see the call to worship in verses 1 and 7. The reasons for the praise in verses 1 through 10. And the response to the praise in verses 11 through 14. We see God extolled as the Creator. We see his law extolled. And we see David's response to Yahweh, his rock, and his redeemer. The books of wisdom in Scripture, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, and some of the Psalms teach us in concrete ways God's will for how He wants us to live in our present circumstances, whether pleasant or difficult. They contrast ways of living that bring about different consequences. In Psalm 1, the one who is blessed is contrasted with the one who is wicked due to their relationship with the law. In Psalm 19, David meditates on the beauty and wonder of God's law in verses 7 through 10. The wise men of Israel were fascinated with the order of God's world shown in his creation, the creation that we see extolled in verse 1. As we study Psalm 19 today, we're going to talk about divine revelation. First, through the book of nature, second through the book of words. And third, David's response to this revelation. So our first section, divine revelation through the book of nature, verses one through six. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their word to the end of the earth. In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom, leaving his chamber, and like a strong man, runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat. The book of nature is what is also referred to as common, general, or natural revelation. And what this means is that God reveals himself to all people through his creation, through the created order. In natural revelation, God reveals himself in a general way as the creator of all things, as we read in verse one, about the heavens themselves, proclaiming that they are the handiwork of a personal creator. Natural revelation is universal. It is for everyone, not just God's elect. There's no place on earth that doesn't proclaim that He is and that He made all things. Romans 1, 19 and 20. For what can be known about God is plain to them because God has shown it to them, for his indivisible attributes, namely his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world and the things that have been made, so they are without excuse. John Calvin wrote God's essence indeed is incomprehensible, utterly transcending all human thought, but on each of his works his glory is engraven in characters so bright, so distinct, and so illustrious that none, however dull and illiterate, complete ignorance as their excuse. Now, natural revelation is limited in that it doesn't reveal any specific truths about salvation or specific plans for individuals, because God never intended it as a means of salvation. It was intended, as Paul explains in Romans 1 through 3, to lead people to the truth about the Lord so they could see the truth about themselves, that they are sinners in need of salvation. God reveals himself so clearly in the natural order that no one will be able to stand before their creator and plead ignorance of his existence and that he should be worshipped. Imagine David, the shepherd boy, in the coolness and freshness of the morning, walking through all that God had created as he takes his sheep to pasture, and God is brought to his mind through all of his senses. And then imagine him in the evening, after a long hot day, having gathered his sheep and putting them in the sheepfold, lying on his back in the cool of the evening, meditating on God's glory and his handiwork as he viewed the heavens and the sky above him in all its vastness and beauty, and being moved in his spirit by everything he had experienced day and night. And now imagine David remembering these times and the spiritual inspiration they brought as he penned Psalm nineteen. Neither passage of time nor his many trials could dull David's remembrance of the glory of God, his infinite wisdom and power and goodness shown in the heavens, the beauty and variety and fruitfulness of the earth in animal and plant life. And so he writes, for people down through the ages, by all that he inspired by all that he saw, and that his senses experienced, so that no one would be without excuse when standing before their creator God. Verse 1, the heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. This verse is one of the most important biblical texts on the reality of natural revelation. Heavens are plural, meaning everything in the vast sky and the great expanse above us, seen and unseen, clouds, stars, planets, the sun, moon, and other galaxies, including their variety, their constant adherence to their courses and places, and the influence that they have on the earth. All of these declare, tell, or preach of God's glory, and testify to a creator who is eternal, infinitely wise, powerful, and good. This testimony is not just a hint, but rather a plain, unmistakable declaration of God and his glory, including his skillful handiwork, meaning the work of his fingers and his hands. The heavens are neither from eternity nor made by themselves, nor here by chance, but they are by and of a being of infinite wisdom, power, and goodness. They are God's excellent works, speaking of his light, immensity, transcendence and sovereignty, providence, and almighty power. The word for God in this verse is El, meaning strength, mighty, or Almighty God, as opposed to Yahweh, the God of the covenant. The first six verses, as we've said, were intended to speak to all people. Therefore, God, David uses El here rather than Yahweh. Verse 2, day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. We see from this verse that day follows day and night follows night as one takes up where the other left off over and over again, pouring out and welling over as a fountain always flowing with praise to a creator God who through his power forms the light and creates darkness. Genesis 8 twenty two. While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall not cease. This was God's covenant with Noah. Through his wisdom in the darkness of the night, God has made himself known or given us knowledge as we see the night sky full of his creations that are not visible in the daylight. We can see at night that the universe is not an empty place, but a place of and full of his handiwork. Isaiah forty five seven. I form light and create darkness. I am the Lord who does all these things. Charles Spurgeon wrote The witnesses above cannot be slain or silenced. From their elevated seats they constantly preach the knowledge of God, unawed and unbiased by the judgment of men. Verses three through four B there is no speech, nor are there words whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. Although creation's speech is wordless, having no language, its testimony about the wonderful works of God is nevertheless heard by everyone in the whole earth in their own tongue. The language is universal. Verse 4A is quoted in Romans 10 18 as a proof that all people, Jews and Gentiles, have had access to the evidence of God's power and love by what is seen. The speech in these verses is for the eyes and the heart rather than for the ears. And this resonates with me because I'm a visual person. Seeing something helps me understand and remember it better. Now God does use the sense of hearing to reveal Himself, and we're going to talk about that in our second section. Verses four three through six. In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and like a strong man runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat. Now prior to these verses, the heavens, the sky, the great expanse, and all earthly creation dominated the psalm. Now the sun takes center stage in all its glory and obedience to God, who has assigned it its place to occupy and its course to run, and has set a tent or tabernacle for it. Having a tent or tabernacle refers to the fact that the sun is in continual motion with no fixed residence, as a traveler who pitches his tent and then removes it when it's time to move on. Tabernacle is reminiscent of the Israelites in the wilderness setting up the tabernacle in their midst and then taking it down when Yahweh told them it was time to move on. And this gives these verses great meaning for the original Hebrew audience or to pagans who lived a nomadic lifestyle in tents. The sun was not made to stand still, but to go forth, as it appears to us, on a course from one point of heaven of the heavens to the opposite point. And this going forth is so constant, so steady, that we can know with certainty the hour and minute when it will rise and set. When we're in Florida, about 5 15 every evening, we go out on the balcony to watch the sunset and prepare to witness a show of God's glory as the sun literally takes over the expanse of the sky, as it explodes in colors of red and pink, blue and yellow after it has set and pitched its tent, as it finished its course at the end of the day. This happens daily, even when it's cloudy and we can't see the sunset. But we know that it's setting and has run its course for the day because it was created to go forth. Have you all ever seen that green flash they talk about after the sunset? You know what I'm talking about? I've never seen it. I mean, I do this so that I don't blink, and I've never seen it. People say, oh, there it was. I don't think they're telling the truth. I don't know. In verse 5, the Psalm gives us two metaphors. The first one, in the ancient world, when the bridegroom left his chamber on his wedding day, his appearance seemed as bright as the sun because he was beautifully dressed and beaming with joy as he went to claim his bride with the entire village watching. Only those intentionally indifferent or someone who denied the event could claim to be ignorant of the bridegroom's actions. Similarly, the rising and setting of the sun is a clear testimony to the Creator God and his work, as well as a metaphor of our heavenly bridegroom, the Lord Jesus, coming to claim his bride, the church. And the second metaphor, in this, we meet a champion ready to race cheerfully and swiftly, running effortlessly his course to the finish line, much as the sun, the heavenly champion, effortlessly, swiftly, and obediently regularly runs its appointed orbit from one to one. End of the heavens to the end of them. And so it is that Christ, the Son of righteousness, finished the work that was given to him. This metaphor can encourage us as Christ Church to run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross. Hebrews 12, 1 and 2. Now we know, of course, that it is the earth orbiting the sun that makes it appear as though the sun rises, moves across the sky, and then sets in the evening. And it's this appearance that David described the sun in these two metaphors. Now we also know that without our modern conveniences, such as air conditioning and well-insulated dwellings, that it's impossible to escape the heat of the sun. David was well aware of the heat of the sun while tending his sheep, even if he found shade, and he reminds us that nothing is hidden from its heat, referring to the extent and penetration of God's rule. No sin can be hidden from our Creator and his righteous anger. Matthew Henry wrote of these verses. In singing these verses, we must give God the glory of all the comfort and benefit we have by the lights of heaven, still looking above and beyond them to the sun of righteousness. As marvelous as God's witness in the creation may be, it alone can never bring lost people to salvation. The sun may sustain their lives, but it can never save their souls. There are a number of applications that are built into this lesson, and I hope that you'll pick up on them, but there are two that I'm going to enumerate, and here's the first one. So as we've said, natural revelation can only go so far because that's the way God designed it. When we're talking with unbelievers, let's not hesitate to use natural revelation as a proof of God's existence and point others to him. But there is a danger, as Paul points out in Romans 1, 22 through 25, that some will engage in false religion and idolatry by worshiping the creature or creator or creation rather than the creator. And because of this, beyond the book of nature, people need to hear the gospel and God through his word. So let's look at our second section, divine revelation through the book of words. Verses 7 through 10 tell us about the book of words, the scriptures, also known as special revelation. We learn that the goodness, wisdom, and power of God are manifested through natural revelation, but that it's not sufficient to give people the knowledge of God and his will, which is necessary for salvation. So God has given us special revelation through the scriptures. It tells us the way of salvation and how to live in a way that pleases God. God spoke to Moses, the prophets, the apostles, and others who wrote down the revelation the Lord wanted us to have. Exodus 24, 4. And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. Jeremiah 36, 4. This will be familiar to us. Then Jeremiah called Baruch, the son of Nariah, and Baruch wrote on a scope, a scroll, at the dictation of Jeremiah, all the words of the Lord that he had spoken to him. 2 Peter 3.15. And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him. Special revelation of the kind that these verses indicate ceased by the end of the first century. So the only special revelation we have today is what is written in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. And how do we know this? The scriptures tell us. Hebrews 1, 1 and 2. Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom He also through whom also He created the world. God did speak to His people in various ways and times, but in these last days, the days that we are in now, He has spoken finely and definitively by His Son. And that is where we are to look for special revelation only in Jesus Christ. Now this doesn't mean that we only look for the actual words of Christ in the Bible. You know those ones in some Bibles with the red, that's what not what that means. But also the words that Christ affirmed as special revelation. And we read about that in Luke 24, 44. Then he said to them, his disciples, these are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. So in addition to the Old Testament, we also count as special revelation the words and writings of Jesus' apostles, because they were his official spokesman, bearing his full authority. The Bible is the only infallible authority for the church because all of its words are breathed out by God. Verses seven through ten. The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The rules of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Okay, now here we're gonna get in a little grammar. Alright. So in verses seven through nine, six sentences, David gives a description of the divine law and the promises about what the law accomplishes. In each sentence, the name Yahweh is repeated as the lawgiver and the law's authority. In each sentence, we also find a description of the law and then the promises or effects of the law. So the pattern in each is this: a noun, the word Lord, all caps, what word is that? All caps for Lord, what is it? Yahweh. An adjective, a participle, and a noun. And then the pattern's broken in verse 9b, ending the list. Verse 7a. The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The word translated law is doctrine and means instruction, or all that teaches true religion, a term for God's revealed will. David had only a small part of the scriptures, but the meaning here is the entirety of them, the Old and the New Testaments. Scripture is perfect in its whole and in its parts, referring to God's flawless wisdom, love, and power. Nothing is to be added to it or taken from it. It revives or converts the soul, showing us and convicting us of our sin and rebellion against God and our need for a Savior to clothe us in His righteousness so that we can stand before God. Verse 7B The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. This is the aspect of the law referring to the truth attested to by God Himself that is sure. It is verified, it is firm, and can be fully dependent upon. His testimony will not deceive us. To those who are humble with a teachable spirit, they will receive the word and may be made wise unto salvation. The law is the word of God converts. The law is testimony, instructs its disciples. The law is the word of God converts. The law is testimony, instructs its disciples. Spurgeon wrote, The perfection of the gospel converts, but its sureness edifies. As we're assured of the truth of the gospel, we become wise and established in its truth. Second Timothy three fifteen. And how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Verse eight A The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. God's precepts and statutes are founded in righteousness, enacted by his authority and binding on all. All God's precepts are morally right because they agree with the eternal rules and principles of good and evil. And because they're right, when we receive them and submit to them, they bring joy and rejoicing. This is no earthly joy and rejoicing, but a joy that comes from the Word of God being poured into our hearts. Spurgeon also wrote, That truth which makes the heart right, then gives joy to the right heart. Verse 8b, the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. Commandment refers to the precision and authority with which God addresses us. His commandments are pure, clear, without darkness or defilement. Therefore they contain no error, nor are they contaminated by sin. They are the pure milk of the Word, and as it is pure, it purifies those who embrace it. 1 Peter 2 2. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk that you may that by it you may grow up into salvation. God's truth in his commandments makes the eye clear and bright, and by this it cures the natural blindness of the soul, giving discernment in all things, and directing our paths so that we might live to please God. Psalm 119 105. Proverbs 3 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Verse 9a The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. Fear, a reverence of the Lord, is emphasizing our response to the Lord as commanded in his word. Joshua twenty four fourteen. Now therefore, fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers serve beyond the river and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. The fear of the Lord is clean, and it will make us clean by cleansing out the love of sin in our lives, which sanctifies our hearts where sin wants to reign, enabling us to have a holy all for our holy God. Proverbs 813. The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. The fear of the Lord that is clean and cleansing will not be altered by time. The revealed will of God that is found in his word is never changed. It endures forever. Matthew 24, 35 and Luke 21, 33 are identical. Jesus said, Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. And verse 9b, the rules of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. God's rules are judgments, meaning all of his precepts, all of his words, each one of them are framed in infinite wisdom. Now I want us to stop a minute and think about that. Each word of God is framed in his infinite wisdom. Every one of them. How many are in the Bible? I don't know. Do you know how many words are in the Bible? But every one of them. They're true because they're grounded on unquestionable truths, because they come from the Father, who is truth, another of his attributes. We haven't talked about that one. They're right or righteous, every one of them. Matthew Henry said, There is no unrighteousness in any of them, but they are all of a peace. In other words, they are all alike in their righteousness. Verse 10. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. To David, the word of God was more valuable and desired than desirable than the wealth of the world represented here by gold, the finest of gold. Gold is of the earth. God's word is heavenly. Gold is finite and for the body. God's word is infinite and for the soul in eternity. Honey and the honeycomb represent pleasures of the senses. God's word received by faith is sweet to the soul, sweeter than honey or the honeycomb. The pleasures of the senses deceive and become excessive, but never satisfy. The sweetness of God's word fills us, satisfies us, and there's no need to worry if we overindulge. God's truth found in his word was the most valuable treasure and most satisfying pleasure David could have and that we could have. And if you think about David, King David, and his surroundings, his many wives, we know about Bathsheba, and yet what does he say is the most valuable thing and the most satisfying pleasure that he has? The Word of God. Our second application. And that's what we are. We're women reading and studying the Word of God, and that same word is changing us. And God is using it to make us into the women He created us to be in the variety of callings and life stages represented here in this room. We're being filled, when we're filled with the Word, it's changing our attitudes, our passions, our priorities, our very lives, and our words, and all of them witness to this and give a message of hope as we share the gospel with a world in desperate need of a savior. So continue in the Word, sharing it as God leads you, and be blessed by your creator and your Savior. Now in our last section, we'll look at David's response to this divine revelation or the special revelation. Verses eleven through fourteen. Now David prays. Moreover, by them, the scriptures, is your servant warned. In keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. As we go through these verses, let's keep in mind verse 6C. You remember what that was? Way back then? I'll tell you. And remember that there's nothing, and there is nothing hidden from its heat. That's what verse 6C is. And there's nothing hidden from its heat or the penetration of God's rule that we see in these verses 11 through 14. That was talking about the Son. In verse 11, we learn more about God's the precepts in God's Word. Number one, they sound a warning to all his children concerning their obligation, two, of dangers to avoid, and three to prepare for what's to come. There are also warnings for the righteous to stay on the right path that they're following, as well as warnings for the wicked to cease their wicked ways. Now we may not see these warnings explicitly in our passage, but we see them in the entirety of the scriptures, which is what our passage describes. This verse goes on to say that there's great reward in keeping God's commandments, not only after keeping them, but in keeping them, the joy of obedience and service to our Lord. However, the greatest reward is yet to come when we receive our promised inheritance as daughters of the King, not because of works, but by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. As David reflected on the blessings and warnings of verses 10 and 11, his conscience was quickened, causing him in verses 12 and 13 to reflect on his sins, and he prays against them. David asked, Who can discern his errors? He knows he can't, so he's asking who can. And by errors, David means his sins, his rebellion against God. It's not walking the way the law prescribes. It's the way teenagers act when they refuse to obey their parents and the household rules and go their own way. It's the way we act when we decide our way is right and better than God's command, and we lean on our own understanding. The Mosaic law made distinctions between unintentional sins and Hidden. And intentional sins, presumptuous. However, none of neither of these sins was condoned by God. And if you look at Numbers 15, 27 through 31, sometime that talks about these two kinds of sins. Just one of the places. David realizes that his sins are so numerous that he doesn't remember all of them and can't even number them. He also doesn't realize how utterly evil his sins are. But God knows about David's sins and ours. So we can praise God that we are under grace and not law, or our situation would be hopeless. The law showed David his sins. So he goes to the throne of grace to pray for mercy, for God's pardon and cleansing from his sins that were hidden from his self-examination, but not from God. Even though our sins are hidden from us or unintentional, they nevertheless separate us from God, and we need to be pardoned and cleansed. David petitions God to keep him from sinning intentionally and being enslaved by his sin so that he might be in right standing with God and innocent of great transgression. And this refers to intentional sins for which there was no sacrifice according to the Mosaic law. In Numbers 15, 28 through 30, a man was put to death for the intentional sin of gathering sticks on the Sabbath. As with David, we need to petition God to strengthen us in our temptations and show us our sins, hidden and otherwise, so we might go before him in repentance, seeking forgiveness in the name of Jesus, whose blood on the cross has covered all of our sins. David has asked God to keep him from sin. And now in verse 14, he asks him to accept to accept his words and meditations, his holy affections offered for God's glory. As we meditate on God through the book of nature and the book of words, whatever meditation God puts in our hearts about him must be expressed to him in the words that we pray and that we and we ask that that prayer would be accepted. David's confidence that his praise and adoration would be acceptable was because Yahweh was his strength enabling him and his redeemer saving him. And ours is the same. Psalm 19 begins with the heavens, and it ends with the one whose glory fills heaven and earth, our rock and our redeemer. Hallelujah. This is my father's world. Oh, let me ne'er forget that though the wrong seems all so strong, God is the ruler yet. This is my father's world. The battle is not done. Jesus who died shall be satisfied, and earth and heaven be one. Let's pray. Father, we do look forward to the day when earth and heaven are one. But until that time, Lord, may we continue to see you and your creation and all that that is, as we've learned today from this beautiful psalm. Help us to use that as we worship you, our God and our Savior. And Father, thank you for your word. Thank you for the scriptures. That we know that every word in them is framed by your wisdom. Thank you for this passage that tells us everything that your word does for us. May we continue to be women of the word in our lives wherever you may take us. And Father, we thank you for Jesus. We thank you that he left heaven and came to earth willingly so that we might live and be with you one day. Thank you for the faith that you have given us. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.