“But I pray to you, Lord, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation.” (Psalm 69:13)
What a privilege it is for me to kick off a series of devotionals from the book of Psalm. Psalm is one of my favorite books because it is full of vulnerability and emotions which, as a licensed counselor, are my world. Psalm 69 is especially deep to my heart because the themes of sorrow and joy, abandon and rescue, injustice and judgment, sin and forgiveness and shame and honor are all juxtaposed to reveal the majesty of God who rescues us from the misery of this world.
When I prayed about what to write, I sensed a burden in my heart for those of you who may feel like you are drowning in your circumstances (Ps. 69:1-3). Some of the circumstances you may be struggling with are similar to David’s: dealing with abuse and feeling hated (69:4), feeling like no matter what you do it is never good enough, feeling shame, dealing with the burdens of your sins and begging for justice over wrongdoings done to you (Ps. 69:22-28). These are just a few themes in one mere chapter of Psalm.
You are not alone. And you are deeply loved. My prayer during your time in Psalms is you will know those truths so deeply they will be an anchor to your faith no matter what life brings you. God never promised us life would be easy on earth. However, from the beginning of time He promised He would never leave us nor forsake us (Deut. 31:6). He also demonstrated His love toward us by sacrificing His own son on the cross so we may experience eternal life and peace (Jn 3:16).
Earth is not our home. Heaven is our home. Through Jesus Christ, we have the promise of eternal life which is the greatest security and assurance anyone can have. We also have the promise that His lovingkindness is good (69:16), His compassion abounds, His forgiveness extends, His deliverance is near, His justice prevails, His salvation rescues, and His redemption heals (Ps 69:22-28).
I will never forget the pain of feeling betrayed deeply by someone I cared about. I remember the nights I could not sleep and the days I could not eat. I remember the days I lay sprawled on the floor crying out for God to deliver me. The pain was so deep. One day as I was crying out to God, I felt His compassion and His grief with me. I felt His presence so deeply all the ‘why’ questions that were left unanswered didn’t matter anymore. I knew He was with me. And that was enough.
Oh how sweet and pivotal that moment was for me. I knew I was not alone and I was deeply loved. That was one of the greatest healing moments for me….His presence. My dear friends, can I encourage you to be real, raw and vulnerable with God about your pain? They do not fall on deaf ears. For Jesus, in His humanity, experienced suffering and so understands yours (Heb 4:15).
Lord, I pray I will experience Your love and presence as I hear from You through the book of Psalm. Thank You that I am loved and not alone.
Edna Lee
