God has so created man, that he does not find complete rest and satisfaction until his entire being is swallowed up in the sweet will of God.
Jesus told his disciples what makes “life” worthwhile and satisfying:
“For whoever would desire to save his soul, will lose it. But whoever will lose his soul for My sake and the gospel, will save it. For what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? For what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Mark 8: 35-37)
Being properly related to Him as our Lord and Savior and to His mission, the gospel, brings our soul into rest and satisfaction in this world of unrest and dissatisfaction.
God has so created man, that he does not find complete rest and satisfaction until his entire being is swallowed up in the sweet will of God.
Some translations use “life” instead of “soul” in this verse. But ‘the Greek word is psuche which refers not to one’s physical existence (bios) and its need but to a person’s soul which is the part of man that wills, thinks, and feels, or in other words, to the will power, the reason, and the emotions, to the personality with all his activities, hopes, and aspirations.’ (Wuest)
It is interesting to me that I Peter 5: 8 warns us to ‘Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour’. ‘Devour’ means “to drink down or swallow up’.
If we allow the enemy to swallow us up, we will spend our lives trying to gratify our soul… and the flesh. We will lose that which alone makes the activity of the soul, worthwhile and satisfying; a biblical relationship with the only true God and Jesus, His Son.
Who has swallowed you up? God or the devil?
Carl
Source: compiled from Kenneth S. Wuest’s study of Gospel of Mark.
Psalm 119: 38 