Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalm 102:6-11
Psalm 102:6-11
6 I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins. 7 I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof. 8 All day long my enemies taunt me; those who rail against me use my name as a curse. 9 For I eat ashes as my food and mingle my drink with tears 10 because of your great wrath, for you have taken me up and thrown me aside. 11 My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass.
As we divide up this Psalm and read only small portions at a time, it would be easy to think that David is moaning and feeling sorry for himself while crying “poor pitiful me.” However, he is simply pouring out his heart to God as he realistically looks at his situation at the moment. Perhaps the difference is that instead of only looking at himself, he is actually looking up to God and instead of feeling sorry for himself, he is turning his troubles over to his Lord.
While denying our problems will not make them go away, dwelling on them will only make them larger in our minds. We can do as the Psalmist and admit out loud our situation and our plight but then turn it over to God. In doing this we will be able to make the best out of bad times that we all face in life.
There is no more hopeless feeling than that of being alone. It is easy for us to begin to think that no one cares, not even God. We begin to feel rejected and then become increasingly depressed. Elijah felt this way and asked God to just let him die because he was the only one left who had not worshipped Baal. He had swung from an emotional high on Mount Carmel to the extreme depths as he hid in a cave. God did not desert him but informed him he was not alone in his battle and there was work to be done.
When we are faced with trials we need to turn it over to God in prayer with thanksgiving and then get busy helping others. The more we focus on others and their problems the less we will dwell on our own. We pray for wisdom to know what we can actually do to help our situation (if anything), strength to do what needs to be done and then faith to trust God to work it out according to his will.
O Lord, my Lord, how excellent is your name in all the earth. You alone are holy and you alone are all wise. Your love and your mercy fill the earth and go from everlasting to everlasting. Grant me a portion of your Spirit to be filled with your love, mercy and compassion and to keep me from judging others, being critical or speaking evil of them. I am so thankful for this country in which I live and I pray your blessings on us as a nation. As we face an election year, I ask you to raise up men and women who will lead us according to your will. Help me keep you first and follow your will for my life. I pray in the name of Jesus.
--Robert
