Psalm 40

SCRIPTURE
¹ I waited patiently for the LORD; 
   he turned to me and heard my cry. 
² He lifted me out of the slimy pit, 
   out of the mud and mire; 
he set my feet on a rock 
   and gave me a firm place to stand. 
³ He put a new song in my mouth, 
   a hymn of praise to our God. 
Many will see and fear 
   and put their trust in the LORD.

OBSERVATION
David reminds us that sometimes the answer to our prayer is not immediate.  Sometimes the answer is slow in coming, but that does not mean that God has abandoned us.

UNDERSTANDING
David was crying out to God to help him and it seemed like God was not responding.  In one translation it says, I waited and waited and waited on the Lord.  How often it seems that way for us too.  We ask God to do something on our behalf and then we find ourselves in the waiting pattern.  It is easy to think in those moments that He is ignoring us, abandoned us or just plain spiteful.  But in those moments we must rehearse what we know about Him.  He is faithful.  He loves us.  His plans for us are better than the plans we have for ourselves and looks way beyond the present life.  His timing is perfect.  God will respond, but our response in the waiting can help point others to Him.  Not only will people put their trust in God because he lifted us out of the mud and mire, and set our feet upon a rock, but people can and will put their trust in God because even when the answer was a long time coming they saw that we still trusted in Him.

LIFE APPLICATION
In You O Lord I put my trust.  Though the situations of my life seem to be out of control, even though my prayers seem to have fallen on deaf ears, I believe that you will answer in the perfect time and do a great and wonderful work in and through me.  Let my actions and words show that I trust in You and may it point people to you so that many will see and fear and put their trust in You.

 

Comments

[Russ]

Mark 12

S – We are in the middle of 3 chapters (11-13) which tell of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and much more concerning the temple, the passing of the Old Covenant religious structure, and the identity and authority of Jesus.

O – Mark’s telling of the story, which is already concise and to the point, now begins to feel like hammer blows as events build to a breaking point.

U – The fuse is lit! It is hissing, and an explosion for all the ages is about to blast through the whole world and into the Halls of Heaven!

L – Click below “Understanding” (above, right) and see “Mark Chapters 11-13: Into Jerusalem.”

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