29 SUNSHINE AND CLOUD F O O T ================================

• H O L D

READING

29 SUNSHINE AND CLOUD

PRAY Lord, give me a sense of your presence as I study your word today.

READ Psalm 40:1-17.

THINK What encouragement do you find in this Psalm which will help you in your journey with God? —————————————————————– FOCUS WAITING PATIENTLY (1-5). In an age of instant everything, most of us find patience difficult to learn and we need God’s help. Verses 1-3 are the testimony of David, who has waited for God and found that he is reliable in times of crisis. But God does not simply rescue us from crisis, he continues to be with us, leading, and giving joy (4,5). It becomes impossible to count all that he has done for us. GLAD OBEDIENCE (6-10). Verses 6-8 make clear the delight of serving God, a delight that was central to the life of the Lord Jesus. (See Hebrews 10:5-7 where these verses are quoted in a slightly different form.) Christianity will give us real pleasure – but only if we are totally committed to serving God. Then we can tell others, too, how good God is (9,10). MERCY AND RESCUE (11-17). Unaccountably, it becomes dark again: ‘I can no longer see’ (12). David’s troubles now (12) are as numerous as God’s mercies had seemed (5). All of us experience feelings like this form time to time. In the face of all these troubles, what did David do? He named them before God, thereby getting a clearer idea of the nature and size of his problem. Then he cried for help, specifying what he needed. He could pray confidently and we can do the same, knowing that God is merciful, loving and faithful. Verses 16 and 17 move into rejoicing. There is good reason for all of us to rejoice: God will not let us down either. ——————————————————————

PRAY Talk to God now about any situation that is troubling you.