Saved and Changed

Saved and Changed

He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps.   He has put a new song in my mouth— Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the Lord. …

Psalm 40:  2 & 3

We might well consider this text in the light of some great deliverance which David had experienced.  Having said that, the parallels with our own experience of the Lord’s grace unto us in salvation are both clear and exciting.  Here is the testimony of the transformed soul.  As we look at this passage today, let us dwell for a while upon the description it gives of us, so that we may continue to rejoice in and marvel at the manifold grace of God to us.  Christ has made us a saved people.  Our natural home was the ‘horrible pit.’  Our feet were stuck fast in the ‘miry clay.’  We have no hope of ever ascending by our own ability, nor even any real desire, until the hour of our regeneration when the Holy Spirit breathed upon us, creating that desire.  Had Christ left us to ourselves we would have remained mired.  Praise His Name, He did not leave us, but rather raised us up by the power of His mighty arms.  We are now a secure people.  Our foundation is upon the Rock, Christ Jesus.  No one can remove us from that secure position which we have in Christ.  Our God has also made us a stable people.  Whereas before we were fickle and inconstant now we have ‘established . . .goings.’  Let others spiritually wander hither and thither if they insist.  We have been ‘established’ by the Mighty Christ.

We are also a singing people.  Our songs are those of the soul set free.  They are not the songs of the world’s devising, but rather they are the heart songs of the redeemed.  The transformation which Christ has effected within us also has an influence upon those around us.  Whether the ‘many’ who see it are caused to ‘fear’ the Lord in such a way that they are themselves brought to trust in Him for salvation, or whether they are fellow saints whose ‘trust’ for God is deepened by our testimony; in either case they are being influenced by the manifestation of God’s working in our life.  David’s testimony is in many ways our testimony.  We are saved and changed, and therefore must rejoice.

Our Great God, our Rock and our Redeemer.

We praise Thee for redeeming us from

the place of destruction,

for establishing our feet upon the Rock,

for a new and glorious song.

We pray that many shall see it and

therefore see Christ.

Where the Bush is Burning

Tomm Tice