Photo by Eradio Valverde of an abandoned UM church in Taiban, NM.
God Never Gives Up on Us!
From the Psalmist, these dark words. Psalm 69:7-18: Because of you I look like an idiot, I walk around ashamed to show my face. My brothers shun me like a bum off the street; My family treats me like an unwanted guest. I love you more than I can say. Because I'm madly in love with you, They blame me for everything they dislike about you. When I poured myself out in prayer and fasting, All it got me was more contempt. When I put on a sad face, They treated me like a clown. Now drunks and gluttons Make up drinking songs about me. And me? I pray. God, it's time for a break! God, answer in love! Answer with your sure salvation! Rescue me from the swamp, Don't let me go under for good, Pull me out of the clutch of the enemy; This whirlpool is sucking me down. Don't let the swamp be my grave, the Black Hole Swallow me, its jaws clenched around me. Now answer me, God, because you love me; Let me see your great mercy full-face. Don't look the other way; your servant can't take it. I'm in trouble. Answer right now! Come close, God; get me out of here. Rescue me from this deathtrap.
A day late. A dollar short. You open your mouth and the wrong thing comes out. You do this, they want that. You try hard. You still fall short. Such was the day David was having. His faith was strong, but not his attitude. It seemed the more he trusted God the more those around him expected more of David. So he writes this psalm, and in this version of The Message, it really sounds like a bad day he was having.
Too bad you and I never have bad day, huh? Right. We do. Yet, the message is clear from this psalm that we should never give up on God. Though we think we can't see evidence of God's presence, God is still there. Though our loved ones may chide our faithfulness, we still see God's fruitfulness. No matter how low we think we have sunk in our lives, the strong arm of God can pull us up and out.
PRAYER: Loving God, thank You for Your faithfulness and fruitfulness in our lives. Let our lives reflect a strong, enduring faith in You. And help us share that with others. This we pray in Christ Jesus our Lord, the model of never-ending faith, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
