Psalms
13:1-4 ( ESV )
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my
heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
This
week I took a break from the book of Colossians and wanted to do something
else. Did the Lord ever give me a SOMETHING ELSE moment. All I could say was, WOW!!
I thank Him every day for His Word and how precious it has become to me. This
Psalm really spoke to my heart as I sought His face this week. David really
spills out his heart as he prays to His God.
Notice His quiet desperation as he asks the question that so many of us
are fearful to ask. In just two words you can feel his heart cry out. HOW LONG?
I know, what you are thinking, what would people think of me if I asked the
Sovereign king of the universe this question. Yet, David asked it and the Lord
was still pleased with His servant. This wonderful savior of ours wants us to
above all to be real in our conversations with Him. We do not need to pretend
to be happy around Him. What good does that do as He already KNOWS our hearts? He
wants us to be real around Him. Don’t get me wrong we are not to treat Him as
our Buddy or as the flavor of the week. He does not want us to be blasphemous
in our approach to Him. Yet, He does want to hear what we truly are going
through and about our struggles. This is what David does throughout this Psalm.
Maybe
some of the following struggles have happened to you in your life. Maybe you
are even going through some of them now. I know that they have been some of
mine in my journey.
·
The struggle of how much
longer will this trial last? Consider Joseph in the land of Egypt. Though
Joseph became only second to Pharaoh in power he was locked in a dungeon for
years. Moses, as a prince who had people serving him daily. For forty years he
would watch over sheep in a desolate land. Job sitting on a pottery pile in
physical pain beyond belief while his “friends” counseled him and told him of
his, “sins” before God.
Maybe you are going through
a trial in your life in which you feel like it will never end. The same God who
watched over these men is the Eternal one and He knows just how much time it
will take and what we can handle through the power of His Spirit.
·
The struggle of Are you
there? This I believe is one of the hardest of all. I am reminded of David’s
cry in Psalms 22:1, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” Some might
think what a terrible and ghastly thought. Yet, these very same words would be
used by Jesus upon the cross. God forsaken of God, a concept that I will never
be able to understand. Yet, it was at this moment that the Son of God took upon
the filth of my sin and bore it upon a cross that He did not deserve.
Like
David we might even feel this way at times. Yet, it is during those times when
I am reminded of the words of John when we are told that He has sent His Spirit
to live within us. Despite our feelings, we are comforted by these words that
He promised never to leave us and that we are never alone. When the darkness
covers us, He has promised that He will be with us through the storm and through
the night.
·
The struggle of God are you
Listening? How many times I have heard these words through the years. “We have
prayed over and over again and it feels as though we are just talking to
ourselves.” The real struggle here is simply, “Does God hear my prayers?” The
answer will always be Yes a thousand times over. He does hear our prayers. Once
again he may not answer as soon as I want Him to. He may also choose to answer
us with a No.
As a
child I always wanted my Father to give me what I wanted. Many were the times
when He simply did not answer me at that moment. I would get discouraged and
even whether I want to admit it or not I got angry with him. He had heard me
but would not always answer right away, or even say no. Even though I did not
understand, now as a man I truly believe that he wanted to do what was best for
me. Our Father in Heaven is far greater than our earthly fathers so why would
He act more differently? The big issue is that He as the perfect Father hears
us and will always do what is best for me.
·
The struggle of our
enemies. Yes, even as Christians who are commanded to love one another and to
live for others. We will have enemies. It’s a part of life that is still hard
for me to accept at times. I want everyone to just get along. The world though
does not play that way and unfortunately neither do believers at times.
You maybe
have been lied to or lied about. You may have even had a moment when a friend
has acted like a Judas in your life. Out of the blue the pain comes and the hurt
feels like a knife that has dug deep within your heart. Your sorrow seems to
never end and you might even see your enemy prevail. Like David it feels as
though the very light of your life is gone. There may even be joy in their
faces as they see your defeat.
Listen,
my beloved He is the author of life. While we struggle and hurt He is there
cheering us on in the battle. He is there, binding our wounds. He is there
telling us to get up and go and to fight on. He breathes into us life and light
in the midst of the darkness and even as we struggle on.
In
the midst of the struggles of this life I love how David ends this Psalm. It
has encouraged me and I hope that it will encourage you.
Psalms 13:5-6 ( ESV )
Here
are the words that stood out to me so much this last week. I thank Him for
these timeless truths in our lives. Truths that give me hope and joy in the
struggle of life. I pray that they will do the same for you.
Ø He is a God who shows His Steadfast Love-I can trust Him in that
in everything that He does for me is because He LOVES me. His love is
immovable. In the words of an old Cathedral Quartet Song, “His love is a
boundless love and it reaches out and touches me.” His love is that of the
faithful groom who will love His bride to the very end. I may doubt that love
but His Word is true when it says that He loves me. During those struggles of
life I need to TRUST in His undying love.
Ø He is a God who HAS and WILL give me Salvation-He will walk with
me through my struggles in life and will one day set me free. It may not even
been today but He will set me free. He did this for me when He saved my soul
and He will deliver me through my trials. He will pull me out of the fire or He
will walk with me through the flames.
I still love the story of
Daniel when his friends were thrown into the flames. Nebuchadnezzar was
convinced it would be the end of them. Yet, when he looked in upon them he
would say these words, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the
fire and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of
the gods.” Listen, don’t miss it in the midst of the fire they were UNBOUND,
they were FREE. If that is not enough, God was with them in the flames.
Ø He is a God who has dealt bountifully with me. Don’t forget what
He has done for you in the past. He has freed you from the bondage of sin. He
has saved you. He has given to you life. Don’t forget what He is doing for us
even now. He has given us health. He has given us food. He has provided many of
us with friends and family who care. He has given us shelter. He is daily
watching out for us. He has given us His blessed Holy Spirit. Don’t forget what
He has in store. Life eternal. No sickness, no more pain, no more sorrow. A
home with Him throughout all of eternity. Truly our God has dealt bountifully
with me and I will rejoice!!
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