"Being Free From Death" -2

"The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid." (Psalms 18:4) Seeing that this is "A Song of Victory", I thought it only fitting to dig for something that was getting to the point of victory! You do realize that we have victory in Christ, Right??? Because, we do! This morning as I was praying about this verse and preparing to move onto the next one, I was given a glimpse of a mirror; a mirror that reflected the opposite of what I was looking at. Odd as that was, I had to think of what it was that David was getting at, and why it should seem so devastating. Then it hit me: God wants us to see the contrast of what was and what is! If you look at the meaning of "The sorrows of death compassed me", and then see the opposite meaning of that phrase, you will be looking at none other than 'The Joy in Life that Sets us Free'! Prior to having received Jesus Christ, and accepting His free offer of eternal life, we were compassed with the sorrows of death; every funeral that we attended was another reminder to us of how death was waiting, and how we are surrounded by death. The word "sorrows" is an interesting word, because it does not just mean sorrow, as in pain or travail; but it speaks more about a measured portion, and is taken to mean more about an offspring being brought forth with pain. In other words; there is a direct connection with this verse and Acts 2:24, which says, "Whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that He should be holden of it". This verse in Acts speaks about how Jesus could not be held by death, and that it was impossible for death to hold Him; therefore, He had loosed the pains of death by being raised up, and death's grip could not hold Him. Looking further into the mirror of reflection, we see the next portion of this verse, "And the floods of ungodly men made me afraid", and we can see a river of life filled with ruin and destruction transformed into 'The River of Life' that flows from God and through us! It is this River of Life that takes away all of our fears; as it flows through us, it gives us hope in New Life; as it gives us hope, all of our fears are swept away! As we continue further with Peter's first sermon, let me finish this post with the portion of Scripture that was speaking of Jesus, but that is now true for all that call upon His Name... "For David speaketh concerning Him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face; for He is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope, because Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; Thou shalt make me full of joy with Thy countenance." (Acts 2:25-28)