PSALM 119 – 11 Verses 81 - 88 If you have not done so please read today’s portion of scripture. It initially sounds rather depressing. Yet I would guess that at one time or another in our lives we have all felt quite similar to what the Psalmist was feeling. He seems to be at the end of his rope. He’s run out of options. He is burned out and used up. He’s pleading with God to show up and rescue him. Maybe you have suffered through a devastating illness or depression. Maybe you’ve endured an excruciating trial of some sort. It could be a trial, or trials that will just not let up and you have pleaded with God to help you. Whatever the case may be, has been, or could be in the future, we can have hope. I’d like for us to think about the purpose of our trials. Back in lesson nine, verses 65 -72, the Psalmist said before he was afflicted he had strayed. He said it was good for him that he was afflicted so he could learn God’s statutes. I talked about James1:2-4 which says we are to consider it all joy when we go through various trials that the testing of our faith is to produce endurance, patience. We are to grow and mature through them. Unfortunately, though we would never admit to it, many Christians have bought into the flawed thinking of the current age. We’re going to church, serving, trying to do it all right, so God is supposed to remove all our troubles, rescue us, and we’re supposed to always be happy, healthy, and wealthy! One look through the Bible and it reveals many that suffered under severe and difficult circumstances. Yet they loved the Lord more deeply and were used greatly by Him. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 says; “For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” This is not saying that all of our troubles are trivial. Honestly, some things are pretty close to unbearable, and can last for weeks, months, even years. But in comparison with the weight of glory…forever and ever and ever…it is only light and momentary. All this here is temporary. Temporary. When we practice patience, contentment, grace under pressure, thankfulness…not just when it’s all going good, but when it’s downright hard and gut wrenching…these are the things that honor God. These are the things that He takes notice of. When we draw near to God and His Word when our heart is breaking, when we begin praising Him in the storm, there are unseen things taking place…in us…and in the spiritual realm. Life is just plain hard and painful at times. We will not always find comfort in our circumstances. We won’t even find it in those close to us at times. But we can always find comfort in the Word of God. That is the beautiful blessing of Psalm 119:81-88; it begins and ends with HOPE. Hope in God’s Word, that gives us comfort, strength, and revives us. It breathes life back into our lungs. It gives us hope that the best is yet to come. Blessings… dlw 10/28/2014
Posted on: Tue, 28 Oct 2014 13:04:18 +0000
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