THANKFUL

Chatting with Jesus

Friday, February 9, 2024

Lord, thank you for allowing the psalmist to share his humanity with us. Many elevate the biblical saints to levels of perfection. The saints of ancient times will tell you a different story. Their flaws, failures, and stupid choices are recorded in the Bible for all to see. However, also included in their stories is the demonstration of your grace. How you forgave them, rescued them, and set them back on the right path means there is hope for us [me] when we [I] fail at this life thing.

Some say the psalmist failed multiple times before he learned to seek you first in overwhelming circumstances. Who am I to point a finger? I’ve done the same. He shares his [my] plight with us.

“In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles” — (Psalm 34:6).

Lord, you have given us wisdom to handle some situations ourselves. That is just living and growing in life. However, some situations are beyond us. The psalmist, after trying in his own power to resolve a situation bigger than himself, found nothing worked. His frustrations must have rose with each failure.

Did his pride convince him he could manage this situation himself, that there was no need to bother God about this? Did his religiosity tempt him to think, “I’ve got this, Lord, Just take the day off.” Did this attitude cause him to spiritually face-plant the floor?

I think the psalmist is warning us, “Don’t make the mistakes I made. Take everything to God first and avoid the frustration and hard lessons.”

And Lord, I hear you say, “Give me your plight that is bigger than you. I can handle it.”

Amen, Jesus.