The Fountain of Life

Alexander the Great not only conquered the world but also sought a river that had the power to reverse aging. The Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon came to Florida in search of the fountain of youth. Both missions failed; there is no river or fountain that can reverse the aging process. But there is a spiritual source of life that is available to everyone who is a believer.

In this psalm, David contrasts the sinfulness of the wicked with the faithfulness of God. The wicked are self-absorbed and have no regard for God’s judgment. They have an unreasonably high opinion of themselves. As a result, they are in denial about their true spiritual condition (v. 2). Sin warps the way we see ourselves. It also sears the conscience. Consequently, the sinful person not only approves of things of which God disapproves but also actively pursues them (see Rom. 1:32).

God is unlike the wicked, and so are those who are His. Those who know God differ from the wicked, not because they have no sin but because they have experienced God’s transforming righteousness. God extends His love to those who are trusting in Him by giving them a righteousness that is not their own. It is God’s own righteousness extended to them by grace. In this way, God becomes a fountain of life to His people (v. 9).

The New Testament reveals that the fountain of life is actually a person. It is God’s Son, Jesus Christ, “who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” (Titus 2:14). In the end, it is Jesus who makes the difference between those that the Bible calls “wicked” and those characterized as “holy.”

Pray with Us

Allison Dille, Auctavia Cegers, Bethanne Tremper, David Thompson, and Elise Champanhet in Academic Records will be grateful for your prayers as they keep track of students’ documentation and progress throughout their studies at Moody.

BY Dr. John Koessler

John Koessler is Professor Emeritus of Applied Theology and Church Ministries at Moody Bible Institute. John authors the “Practical Theology” column for Today in the Word of which he is also a contributing writer and theological editor. An award-winning author, John’s newest title is When God is Silent: Let the Bible Teach You to Pray (Kirkdale). Prior to joining the Moody faculty, he served as a pastor of Valley Chapel in Green Valley, Illinois, for nine years. He and his wife, Jane, now enjoy living in a lakeside town in Michigan.