As I was praying about this week’s devotional, I sensed that some of you are going through very hard times. Hope seems like a distant memory and your days feel full of struggle. I have been experiencing similar feelings myself and a friend gave me these lovely verses from Psalm 143: 3-8 (precis’)I remember the days of long ago, I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands Have done. I spread out my hands to you, I thirst for you like a parched land . . . Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love for I have put my trust in you.
The context of this is that the enemy is attacking David,and he feels at the end of himself, overwhelmed and crushed. The enemy works constantly to drag us all down, as David expresses here, he crushes me to the ground, he makes me dwell in darkness like those long dead.
When we are in that dark place, it’s important to realise the enemy is trying to use our circumstances to make us feel despairing. God can seem a million miles away but the truth is, God is there for us and always gives us a way to overcome the devil and his destructive lies.
So, David chooses to focus his thoughts, memories and prayers on God’s presence and goodness. He chooses to remember. We can either remember in a way that pulls us down, because our memories are full of sadness and loss; or we can remember out of a sense of hope and joy that what God did before, He will do again. I recently had news that made me feel very sad and small. I wanted to hide away and give up on everything. But Marilyn encouraged me to remember lovely answers to prayer and ways God had helped in the past. David talks here about considering God’s ways,meditating on His works, spreading out our hands before Him . . . this is a picture of letting go to God all the things that are pulling us down and choosing to think about His goodness and love instead. It may seem impossible but there are lovely things we can listen to, look at or read that will help us focus on God’s love rather than on despair. Marilyn’s words and those of other friends lifted me up and gave me hope. Sharing with those we know love us and will pray is really important when we are low.
Another key is, what is in our minds as we go to sleep? David said Let the morning bring me hope of your unfailing love. The thoughts we dwell on in our minds or hearts as we go to sleep are so important. David was choosing to expect that the morning would bring something special, a glimpse of God’s love and care. He set his heart to hope. The first night I had this bad news I felt so sad and my thoughts were full of grief and defeat as I went to bed. I hardly prayed as I was almost embracing the sense of failure and hopelessness. I woke up feeling unwell the next day but since then, I’ve been trying, like David, to fix my heart on hope as I go to bed; to expect that God will be with me when I wake and will be showing me His love in a special way. That hope has been fulfilled as friends have encouraged, reached out and prayed for me each day.
If you are feeling low or under attack today, God is with you. He loves you with an everlasting love. His mercies are new every morning. The enemy will always seek to crush you but God is so much bigger than the devil. Fill your mind and heart with the truth of His love for you and let go of all the devil’s lies. God will hold you in His everlasting arms, lift you up and enable you to soar with Him once again.
