‘My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. Our ancestors trusted in you, and you rescued them. They cried out to you and were saved. They trusted in you and were never disgraced. But I am a worm and not a man. I am scorned and despised by all! Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, “Is this the one who relies on the Lord ? Then let the Lord save him! If the Lord loves him so much, let the Lord rescue him!” Yet you brought me safely from my mother’s womb and led me to trust you at my mother’s breast. I was thrust into your arms at my birth. You have been my God from the moment I was born. Do not stay so far from me, for trouble is near, and no one else can help me.’ Psalms 22:1-11(NLT)
‘O Lord , do not stay far away! You are my strength; come quickly to my aid! Save me from the sword; spare my precious life from these dogs. Snatch me from the lion’s jaws and from the horns of these wild oxen. I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among your assembled people. Praise the Lord , all you who fear him! Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob! Show him reverence, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help. I will praise you in the great assembly. I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you. The poor will eat and be satisfied. All who seek the Lord will praise him. Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy. The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him. All the families of the nations will bow down before him. For royal power belongs to the Lord . He rules all the nations.’ Psalms 22:19-28(NLT)
‘But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave. Interlude’ Psalms 49:15(NLT)
‘My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.’ Psalms 73:26(NLT)
‘When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.’ Romans 5:6-11(NLT)
‘But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, ‘ Ephesians 2:4(NLT)
Yesterday we looked at young David’s unbelievable victory over a giant named Goliath. He remembered what God had done for him in the past, and he was full of faith and confidence in the face of a great warrior.
Today we learn that we have good days and we have bad days. We don’t always quickly remember what God has done. If it has been a while since we’ve worshiped, prayed, read His word, and been amazed by His presence, we can lose that wonder, awe, and confidence just like David, now King, did.
In today’s reading, we hear adult David crying out to God, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me…?” What happened? Isn’t the LORD the same God who delivered him from the lion, the bear, and the giant?
Yes, but we have short memories, and when fear strikes (and it will strike), we run back to our old ways of worry and doubt. We can feel alone and isolated. These are all schemes of the Evil One.
“But God.” Don’t you just love those words? The Bible says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
When you doubt God’s love and faithfulness, remember the cross. When you doubt your forgiveness and adoption as sons and daughters, look to the cross. When you doubt God’s capability to overcome and turn around any situation, look to the cross and the power of the resurrection. Meditate and think on these things.
from Take Courage by Greg Alkinson