The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 6:2-3,
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint; heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in deep anguish. How long, Lord, how long?"
David really had his struggles: he was faint, in need of healing, his bones were in agony and he was in a spiritually deep anguish. He was worn out from groaning, he wept all night (saying he drenched his couch with tears), his eyes were weak from sorrow and he had a lot of foes.
This is the man we read of in Acts 13:22, where God is quoted as saying, "I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do." God was pleased with him, so why was David suffering? Why hadn't God stepped in, arranged things in David's life long before his suffering to prevent it?
David did plead with God to intervene and bring him relief and God responded and brought that relief. At the end of the psalm we read, "Away from me, all you who do evil, for the Lord has heard my weeping. The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer." Verses 8-9. Yet, it was not until after David had suffered, at least for a time, that the Lord stepped in and brought him relief following his pleading with God.
Today you often hear that since God loves us he doesn't want us sick or suffering or poor or whatever. That runs contrary to what we read in the Scriptures. David was a man of mighty faith. He struggled with sin, as we all do, and possibly this was the cause of David's suffering. However, unlike Psalm 51, where David pours out his contrite heart for his sin, we don't see any of that here. This psalm reads as though sin was not in the picture here with David. We find that to be the case in a number of psalms.
And it is not just David. We see a great number of heroes of the faith suffering. We read of it in the book of Acts and many other places. Since they suffered, why should we feel we ought to be immune from difficulties in this life? In fact, the Scriptures tell us to plan on it and embrace it. "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Romans 5:3-4.
We are told to anticipate discipline from God's hand, "God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:10-11. Jesus told us he would discipline those he loves, "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent." Revelation 3:19.
As we learn from David's life, we should not be expecting a bed of roses when we embrace Jesus Christ in our lives. Suffering, difficulties, struggles will accompany joy, love, the embrace of acceptance, an incredible anticipation for our new life in the next age and so many other wonderful things that are now ours as God's children.
David really had his struggles: he was faint, in need of healing, his bones were in agony and he was in a spiritually deep anguish. He was worn out from groaning, he wept all night (saying he drenched his couch with tears), his eyes were weak from sorrow and he had a lot of foes.
This is the man we read of in Acts 13:22, where God is quoted as saying, "I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do." God was pleased with him, so why was David suffering? Why hadn't God stepped in, arranged things in David's life long before his suffering to prevent it?
David did plead with God to intervene and bring him relief and God responded and brought that relief. At the end of the psalm we read, "Away from me, all you who do evil, for the Lord has heard my weeping. The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer." Verses 8-9. Yet, it was not until after David had suffered, at least for a time, that the Lord stepped in and brought him relief following his pleading with God.
Today you often hear that since God loves us he doesn't want us sick or suffering or poor or whatever. That runs contrary to what we read in the Scriptures. David was a man of mighty faith. He struggled with sin, as we all do, and possibly this was the cause of David's suffering. However, unlike Psalm 51, where David pours out his contrite heart for his sin, we don't see any of that here. This psalm reads as though sin was not in the picture here with David. We find that to be the case in a number of psalms.
And it is not just David. We see a great number of heroes of the faith suffering. We read of it in the book of Acts and many other places. Since they suffered, why should we feel we ought to be immune from difficulties in this life? In fact, the Scriptures tell us to plan on it and embrace it. "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Romans 5:3-4.
We are told to anticipate discipline from God's hand, "God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:10-11. Jesus told us he would discipline those he loves, "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent." Revelation 3:19.
As we learn from David's life, we should not be expecting a bed of roses when we embrace Jesus Christ in our lives. Suffering, difficulties, struggles will accompany joy, love, the embrace of acceptance, an incredible anticipation for our new life in the next age and so many other wonderful things that are now ours as God's children.
Both come our way.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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