Psalm 30:9

In my quiet times with God I am currently going through Psalm 30, one verse at a time. Today I was on verse nine.

What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness?

Though this verse sounds rather despairing, I assure you the psalm is extremely uplifting. This verse comes from David recalling a time when he was dismayed, but is surrounded by recollections of God's faithfulness and calls to praise.
However, as I considered these words this morning I had to ask myself, Am I any better than dust? If I were destroyed or lost in a pit, would the dust make up for my absence? In other words, would anyone - specifically God - notice I was gone? (Of course I know God and others would notice. I ask these questions to make my point.)
I thought about this verse and these questions, and grew in my resolve to to be a faithful witness to the goodness of God. I want to live a life which gives Him praise. Every day, I want to proclaim His faithfulness. I don't ever want it to be said of me that, if I was destroyed, the dust would give praise to God as much as I ever did. I want to be better than dust.

This morning in church our pastor spoke about the holiness of God. He is majestic. He is perfect. He is set apart from us, and yet He loves us. I have said it before: I do not understand why He loves me. As I consider in my puny little mind how great God is, I cannot fathom why He would want anything to do with me, but I trust He does and I am so thankful. So, until I breathe my last breath on this earth and then on into eternity, I will proclaim the goodness of our God!