Save me, O God
Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God.
(Psalm 69:1-3 NIV)
There are days in our life when even putting one foot in front of the other seems too hard. Days when we feel overwhelmed by the challenges life throws at us, when even the well-meaning request of a friend can feel like too much; like the straw that breaks the proverbial camel’s back. What do we do when we are struggling in these moments of darkness? When our lives seem paralyzed by regrets about the past and anxieties about the future?
The scripture above was written by King David in a moment of brutal honesty and is a prayer to which many of us can relate. David bares his soul to God, refusing to hide the emotions, turmoil, despair and anger that he is feeling at his present circumstances. He even acknowledges that the bleakness of his situation is affecting his relationship with God. In his darkest moment, he cannot see God, he cannot see his Saviour, but rather than hide this from God, he confesses it to him. As the psalm continues, David finds solace in who he knows God to be—a God of great love, of great mercy, and who answers with a sure salvation (Psalm 69:13, 16).
It is worth remembering in these moments that in Jesus Christ, we have a great high priest who knows what it is like to go through dark times. Jesus’ anxiety about his crucifixion was so great that it caused him to sweat “like drops of blood” (Luke 22:44). On the cross, the Bible records Jesus’ feelings of separation from God (Mark 15:34). Yet God did not forsake Jesus, and he will not forsake us.
In Christ, there is always hope beyond our despair, and like David we must cast ourselves upon God’s great love, great mercy and sure salvation.
Prayer
Our Father in heaven, in our moments of darkness, your light can seem so far away. Do not abandon us to our sin, to our pain and to our suffering, but let us feel your presence, your love and your comfort. And let us never forget the sure salvation we have through your Son, Jesus Christ. In his name, Amen.
Study by Gavin Henderson,
First published on 29 October 2019 in GCI Update Devotionals https://update.gci.org
About the Writer:
Gavin Henderson is a minister and the National Ministry Leader for Grace Communion International in the UK and Ireland.
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