Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Christ is the Lord and God for Us
Psalms 40
Vs 1-3: “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in Him”.
The hardest thing to do during the worst of times is to think of the “blessings”, or to be “positive”. Whenever I’ve heard that said to me, I wanted to say, “Let me grieve, I want to wallow!”. There are a lot of people going through many forms of pain and grief in this uncertain time of COVID-19: depression, sickness, unemployment, loss of a loved one are among the many. I don’t think there is a single human being with the words to offer comfort to any of these individuals. And no, it is not a sin to grieve! Sometimes, God teaches us the most through our afflictions, trials and sufferings; it helps to strengthen our faith like no other. However, many of us can also succumb to letting this sorrow creep into every part of our lives and make us live as those without hope. This hope is the assurance that God will never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). It is the recognition that He is our refuge and strength, an ever-present hope in time of trial (Psalm 46). This hope is our living God, the anchor of our soul, who is unwavering despite the storms, keeping us grounded in the midst of all this craziness.
David writes of this hope and it is the theme of Psalm 40. When I read this, I saw this being broken down into two parts. The first few verses talk about the fulfillment of God’s faithfulness and help when David was at his worst. It praises God and it acknowledges those who trust in the Lord. The second half seems to be a request. It is David pleading to God to continue to be merciful, loving, and faithful. He admits his sins and brings God his troubles and asks God to deliver him. But David also prays for others to see God’s mercy and deliverance and for them to acknowledge and declare that the Lord is great! I want this kind of faith and confidence that David had. I desire to have the kind of faith that praises God, remembers His faithfulness, and be able to lead a life that glorifies God so that many others may come to know Him and seek Him!
 
PRAYER
Father, we thank you for being our hope. We ask that you are the beacon of light in the darkness and you help us to see and follow that light rather than dwelling in darkness. We pray that the way we lead our life may show others who you are so that they may see you and put their trust in you. In Jesus name we pray, AMEN.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Though the weeping may last for the night, joy comes with the morning (Psalm 16). We do not know when this “morning” will come for us this time, but we rest in the hope that it will according to God’s time and will.

Susan Thomas
Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church

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