Encounter
With the Risen Lord
Psalm 40
Vs.
16 But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your
salvation say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
God
delivers us from trouble. The wait may be difficult but we can be thankful for
the outcome as we will be able to rejoice and testify to others. Some of the
finest men and women of faith found in the Bible were victims of
discouragement. David was one of them. Here in this Psalms we see David’s
encounter with God and his cry for help. He praises God for His past kindness
and help he got from God. David was able to see the goodness of God during the
darkest times of his life. David waited patiently for God’s help and received
four benefits.
1.Lifted
him out of despair
2.Set
his foot on a solid ground
3.Steadies
him as he walked
4.
Put a new song of praise in his mouth.
When David cried God reached down
with His loving arms and lifted him from the mud and slimy pit and turned his
tears t into joy and his cries into a new song. Blessings are not received
unless we go through the trial of waiting. God wants us to be obedient and
devoted to Him Our usual rituals as going to church ,paying tithes or
participating in the communion service etc are meaningless unless they
are not with selfish motives. Israelite did the same rituals and more including
animal sacrifices and David says they were not pleasing to God.
Paul
says to Romans that we are all sinners and that has to be acknowledged.
Becoming a Christian or having a born again experiences do not make one clear
of sin and temptations. All of us need to depend on Christ and His death on the
cross for our salvation. We cannot earn salvation through our good behavior. If
we are under the control of our sinful nature we will never be able to please
God.
Once
we encounter the risen Christ and experience his righteousness and faithfulness
we will not be able to contain them to ourselves. We will be forced to testify
to others of His love. God loved us in spite we being sinners and keeps all His
promises he has made to us when we break our promises to Him.
As
Saul encountered Jesus on his way to Damascus let us meet the risen Christ in
our faith journey and transform ourselves to new being. Without God’s love.
Holy Spirit, grace and mercy we cannot do ANYTHING AND WE WILL BE DEEPLY
IMPRISONED IN THE PIT. If we are ready to meet Him personally He is ready to
ease our pains, our difficulties, our struggles and problems and change our
cries to a song of praise.
PRAYER
Almighty
Lord we thank you for the salvation you have given us through Jesus Christ. We
ask today for the forgiveness of our sins and the assurance of the presence of
Holy Spirit throughout all our lives. Teach us to obedient and wait for you
patiently in our trials and temptations. As we cry today for your mercy lift us
up from the deep pit we are and put us on a steady rock. In your precious name
we pray Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Preserving
Faith in trial
Dr. Thomas K. Jose, MTC Staten Island, NY
Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church