Daily Devotions – Hope in Despair

Daily Devotions – Hope in Despair

Photo by DNK.PHOTO on Unsplash

 

 

Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:

 

Psalm 38 (NIV)
A psalm of David. A petition.
1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. 2 Your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down on me.
3 Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; there is no soundness in my bones because of my sin. 4 My guilt has overwhelmed me
like a burden too heavy to bear. 5 My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly. 6 I am bowed down and brought very low;
all day long I go about mourning. 7 My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body. 8 I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart. 9 All my longings lie open before you, Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you. 10 My heart pounds, my strength fails me;
even the light has gone from my eyes. 11 My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds; my neighbors stay far away. 12 Those who want to kill me set their traps, those who would harm me talk of my ruin; all day long they scheme and lie. 13 I am like the deaf, who cannot hear, like the mute, who cannot speak; 14 I have become like one who does not hear, whose mouth can offer no reply. 15 Lord, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God. 16 For I said, “Do not let them gloat or exalt themselves over me when my feet slip.” 17 For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me. 18 I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin. 19 Many have become my enemies without cause; those who hate me without reason are numerous. 20 Those who repay my good with evil lodge accusations against me, though I seek only to do what is good. 21 Lord, do not forsake me; do not be far from me, my God. 22 Come quickly to help me, my Lord, and my Savior.

 

What part of David’s faith can you relate to from your own experience?

 

There are times in life when we all make foolish mistakes. We become arrogant and believe we are invincible. We respond to pleasures because we want to and don’t consider the repercussions of those decisions. Often sinful behavior leads to more sinful behavior, where white lies become intentional deception. But there is a cost to sinful behavior. David was arrogant enough to act on his immediate desire for Bathsheba that would lead to further deception and eventually the murder of her husband. Our sins may not lead us to murder, but whatever they are can be just as devasting to our mind, heart, soul, and physical bodies. We begin to feel Your displeasure and the absence of Your presence. We can shake off the guilt for a while, but it begins to get heavy and the stress plagues our spiritual, physical, and mental wellness. We start to realize how much we have sinned against You and others. We recognize that we are wretched and deserving of death. Jesus, thank You that when we are at our deepest and darkest place, You are waiting. David had hope that You were able to forgive him, rescue him, and heal him. Thank You that whatever my failings or whatever difficulties I may face, that I too can bring them to You in prayer. Lord, I cry out to You today. I am no longer smug in my sins, but I cling to hope in You. Lord, I need Your forgiveness. Do not be far from me but heal me. You saw me in my darkest place and took the weight of my guilt and shame to the cross. Thank you for being patient with me Lord and loving me. I seek You. Transform my life to be and do good. I want to be in Your will. Thank You for Your grace, compassion, and mercy, my Lord and my Savior. Amen