(Psalm 116: 1-9)  I love the Lord because he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.  Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.  The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow.  Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Lord, save me!”  The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.  The Lord protects the unwary; when I was brought low, He saved me.  Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.  For you, Lord, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

Anyone who has received Jesus, and the work he did for us on the cross, is familiar with the process that these verses convey.  It begins when we come to the end of ourselves and cry out to the Lord.  And, often to our amazement, he answers us.  Thus begins the new life we didn’t even know existed.

This new life affords us rest for our souls, and we begin to recognize God’s goodness.  We see his provision in our lives, his protection, and his peace and comfort.  We begin to rely on him which is what he wants for us.  A loving relationship begins to develop between us and our creator.  The new life has its trials and troubles, but we never again have to face them alone.  The new life runs amazingly better than the old life, and the real advantage is that it lasts forever.