Ever Feel Abandoned? Disconnected? Cast aside? Isolated? Take heart my friend, because God is “a father to the fatherless…” and “sets the lonely in families.” (Psalm 68:5a, 6a) (See Psalm 10:4; 107:14)
Have you ever been crushed by circumstances? Overwhelmed by life? Whiplashed 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.” (Psalm 68:5a) (See Psalm 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.” (Psalm 68:6) (See Psalm 107:10, 14; 147:6; Isaiah 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.” (Psalm 68:9) (See Hosea 6:3)
You may be worried about meeting your financial obligations. Be at rest. “From your bounty, O God you [provide] for the poor.” (Psalm 68:10) (See Psalm 37:25; Philippians 4:19; Hebrews 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 Jesus, 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.” (Psalm 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.” (Psalm 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.”
Remain bless.
