AM I WITHOUT HOPE?
Psalm 69:1-3
Save me, O God!
For the waters have come
up to my neck.
I sink in deep mire,
where there is no
foothold;
I have come into deep
waters,
and the flood sweeps over
me.
I am weary with my crying
out;
my throat is parched.
My eyes grow dim
with waiting for my God.
Have you ever felt this
way? Have you ever come to a place where you felt that problems were assailing
you and there was no way to stop them? When every step made you feel like you
were going to fall and there was no place to grab on? When the waters were
still advancing with no hope of stopping them? When your tears were dried up
and your voice was gone from crying out? When even your hope in God was growing
dim?
David begins with a simple
plea: Save me, O God!
Maybe he did not even know
what that salvation would look like. Have you come to a place where you did not
even know what to hope for because your enemies were too many and too powerful?
Psalm 69:4
More in number than the
hairs of my head
are those who hate me
without cause;
mighty are those who would
destroy me,
those who attack me with
lies.
What I did not steal
must I now restore?
David is not even sure of
what he did to deserve their attacks, though he admits that he is a sinful man.
Psalm 69:5
O God, you know my folly;
the wrongs I have done are
not hidden from you.
Reading this reminds me
that I should never forget my sinful state. As I look back on my sins, even I
am surprised at my foolishness. God has seen all my actions, He knows my
motives; in fact, He knew what I would do even before I entertained the ideas
that led to actions.
David’s concern is for the
reputation of his God and for those who observe, as he goes through this time
of heavy trial.
Psalm 69:6
Let not those who hope in
you be put to shame through me,
O Lord GOD of hosts;
let not those who seek you
be brought to dishonor through me,
O God of Israel.
Oh, I know that my actions
would be different, if I were only more conscious that my actions bring
consequences not only on myself, but also on others.
David knows that many are
speaking evil against him. He knows that he has been concerned for God and His house.
Now he desires God to intervene.
Psalm 69:13
But as for me, my prayer
is to you, O LORD.
At an acceptable time, O
God,
in the abundance of your
steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.
Why would David come to
God?
His prayer is to the LORD,
the creator and sustainer of all. The One who has everything in His hands.
Nothing escapes Him, all is ordained by His perfect and eternal will. He knows
that God is loving; His love is steadfast, unchanging and abundant. The LORD
dispenses His love faithfully. He loves to save. He is faithful to His
promises. His timing is always perfect.
How utterly different we
are from God! Our love is imperfect and changes easily. Our love is measured
and limited. We are unfaithful. Our power is limited. Our awareness of
situations is limited to our personal point of reference.
Are you going through a
difficult time? Then here are some questions you should ask yourself:
- Am I looking to God alone for help? Is He the one I depend on?
- Am I willing to trust the LORD’s timing?
- Do I really believe He is loving?
- Am I aware of the abundance of His love?
- Do I trust God’s purposes?
- Do I believe that God is faithful?
- Am I concerned about how my behavior effects what people think about God?
- Am I concerned with how I am affecting the faith of those who watch me?
Dear friends, our answers
to these questions will affect the way we behave today! They will affect our
thoughts and our attitudes.
Our prayer must be
centered on God, Himself. We are so blessed, if we know Christ and have been
transformed by His love and by His death and resurrection. May our lives be
visibly different because of our salvation!
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