Sunday, February 8, 2014

Sunday, February 8, 2014

Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief. My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak. (Ps 31:9-10)

Have you ever felt like this? I sure have. Far more often than I care to think about. Maybe it's my advancing age. (Where did all those years go?) Maybe it's the dreary winter weather - so cold and snowy. Maybe it's day after day watching the news and hearing of the atrocities being committed in the world. Maybe it's waking up each morning and waiting to discover which of my body parts are going to give me trouble that day. I do know that there are some days when it is difficult to just put one foot in front of the other.

But the Psalmist goes on to say, 'But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, "You are my God." My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.' (Ps 31:14-15)

Those enemies can be my thoughts or my fears or my aches and pains. But when I look to the Lord and lean on him, then he will hold me up and see me through. To know that I can go to sleep and God will cause my heart to keep beating and will cause my body to continue breathing with no effort on my part. How wonderful is that? We all get discouraged at times and it's so important to read and hear the familiar stories again and again. Joseph and Moses and Abraham and Job and all the rest. Flawed people who endured many trials and rejoiced in many triumphs. People just like us who questioned and suffered loss and had fears and yet we see how God led them through it all and never gave up on them. It's the only answer. He will see us through.

And so I also say, "You are my God. I will trust in you." Amen.

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