"Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing; I have come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. I am weary with my crying; my throat is dry; my eyes fail while I wait for my God." (Psalm 69:1-3)
Many people have been here at one time or another in their life. Consider carefully the wording of David's prayer. I simply cannot imagine a prayer which expresses deep, deep sorrow and pain any more precisely than our text. 45 years ago, I was there.
When you cannot find words to say, as the hymn writer said, "in seasons of distress and grief," pray our text. And pray knowing that our Lord Jesus does not leave us destitute. The dictionary describes destitute as, "lacking resources or the means of subsistence; completely impoverished." No matter how deep the pain, physical, emotional, mental, you and I are never "lacking resources or the means of subsistence; completely impoverished." We may be close to that, but notwithstanding, "The Lord Jesus is my Shepherd, I lack nothing."
You and I today have the "resources.., the means of subsistence." We are not "completely impoverished." We, "lack nothing," i.e., nothing which sustains us, keeps us, and enables us to be triumphant in the most desperate of human conditions. Jesus again reminds you and me today that when Psalm 69:1-3 seems to be the "theme" of life, Jesus Himself has triumphed over that theme of destruction and hopelessness and made Psalm 40:1-3 our theme. "I waited patiently for the Lord Jesus; and He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God." Even when it appears not so, it is so. Open your eyes today, and see Jesus. We then realize that there is no, "deep waters," no, "floods overflow me," no, "slimy pit," no, "mud and mire," no dryness in life which can "dehydrate" us into oblivion. Remember? "We are more than conquerors through Him Who loves us."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You that You always triumph over the destructive forces. Amen.
Many people have been here at one time or another in their life. Consider carefully the wording of David's prayer. I simply cannot imagine a prayer which expresses deep, deep sorrow and pain any more precisely than our text. 45 years ago, I was there.
When you cannot find words to say, as the hymn writer said, "in seasons of distress and grief," pray our text. And pray knowing that our Lord Jesus does not leave us destitute. The dictionary describes destitute as, "lacking resources or the means of subsistence; completely impoverished." No matter how deep the pain, physical, emotional, mental, you and I are never "lacking resources or the means of subsistence; completely impoverished." We may be close to that, but notwithstanding, "The Lord Jesus is my Shepherd, I lack nothing."
You and I today have the "resources.., the means of subsistence." We are not "completely impoverished." We, "lack nothing," i.e., nothing which sustains us, keeps us, and enables us to be triumphant in the most desperate of human conditions. Jesus again reminds you and me today that when Psalm 69:1-3 seems to be the "theme" of life, Jesus Himself has triumphed over that theme of destruction and hopelessness and made Psalm 40:1-3 our theme. "I waited patiently for the Lord Jesus; and He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God." Even when it appears not so, it is so. Open your eyes today, and see Jesus. We then realize that there is no, "deep waters," no, "floods overflow me," no, "slimy pit," no, "mud and mire," no dryness in life which can "dehydrate" us into oblivion. Remember? "We are more than conquerors through Him Who loves us."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You that You always triumph over the destructive forces. Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
