A photograph by Eradio Valverde, Jr.
Psalm 130 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications! If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem. It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
Yesterday, two of our daughters called us; one with great news, and one with not so great news. Nellie and I reflected on that right before bedtime when we say our prayers. David, in his life and work as shepherd and later as king, had those kinds of days. We shared yesterday, how he faced the death of a beloved son, who rose against him and would have stopped at nothing, including David's death, to get what he wanted. It may have been on that day that David wrote this psalm, we don't know, but we know of his faith. Even in the depths of despair, or on the heights of our jubilation, we can, and should cry out to the Lord. The Lord hears us and identifies with us. But, what stands out for David, as it should for us, is that God once He forgives us, forgets those sins. We are the ones who are not so easy on ourselves in remembering and always marking past sins against us. True forgiveness comes from God and that forgiveness is so awesome, it should make us stand in awe of God.
David never gave up on God and always waited on God. Yes, he did have his sins against God, but he knew of God's forgiveness. He compares those days of his wrestling with this sin like those of the morning watchman, whose very job it was to wait for the shines of a new day when he could cry, all is well. We, like Israel, have this message from this psalm: Hope in the Lord, because in the Lord there is never-ending love, and an awesome power to make new, including us.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, in Your mercy, make us new. Remove the stains and scars of sin, and replace in our hearts those places with new presence and peace. Let me share with others that awesomeness of Your love. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
