Ever Feel Abandoned?
Posted by: jdiaz <jdiaz@...>
father to the fatherless..." and "...sets the lonely in families." (Psa.
68:5a, 6a) (See Psa. 10:4; 107:14)
Have you ever been crushed by circumstances? Overwhelmed by life?
Whip-lashed by a situation that seems out of your control? Take courage,
because your loving Sovereign is concerned for the most defenseless among
us: "A defender of widows." (Psa. 68:5a) (See Psa. 72:2,4)
Ever feel like a prisoner to your surroundings? Or to your sins? Or to life
itself? The good news is that "God leads forth the prisoners with singing."
(Psa. 68:6) (See Psa. 107:10,14; 147:6; Isa. 61:1)
Perhaps you feel exhausted. Dried out. Stale. Look up because your Father
promises to give you "abundant showers..." as He "...refreshes His weary
inheritance." (Psa. 68:9) (See Hos. 6:3)
You may be worried about meeting your financial obligations. Be at rest.
>From your bounty, O God you [provide] for the poor." (Psa. 68:10) (See Psa.
37:25; Phil. 4:19; Heb. 13:5)
In case you are wondering if He is there, or even cares about your situation
- Muse over the words from Mozart's Requiem, "Remember, merciful Jesu, that
I am the cause of your journey."
- Ponder the profundity of Brenan Manning's story of an Irish priest who
observes an old peasant kneeling by the side of the road, praying. Impressed
the priest says to the man, "You must be very close to God." The peasant
looks up from his prayers, thinks a moment, and then smiles, "Yes, He's very
fond of me."
- Identify with Karl Barth's* response to someone's inquiry as to the most
profound thought he had learned in all his theological studies, "Jesus loves
me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so."
Just how do we daily experience His grace? By total surrender to the
lordship issues God has already identified in our lives. It is He, after all
who gently reminds us that "only the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
(Psa. 68:6b) All He asks from us is radical honesty, and radical dependency
thus releasing Him to do what is so dear to His heart: "...Daily [bear] our
burdens." (Psa. 68:19b)
That being true, let us offer this prayer to Him, "Lord, thank you for what
you have allowed to come my way. I repent of my rebellion, fear, anger and
stubborn self-will. In this moment I surrender to your Lordship, and choose
to believe that for today you are my sufficiency and the answer to my every
need. Thank you in Jesus' Name. Amen."
*Perhaps the 20th Century's leading theologian
R. Dwight Hill
Enjoy the remainder of the week my friends and loved ones!