Tag: abandoned

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Psalms Devotionals 2

Never alone

Psalms

There are times when we feel totally alone. David did. (Psalm 142:4)

His words in the first two verses really strike me.

I cry aloud…

I plead aloud…

I pour out my complaint…

I reveal my trouble…

To whom did he do all these things?

To the Lord.

Alone as he felt, he was never truly alone.

And so David could say,

Although my spirit is weak within me,
you know my way. (Psalm 142:3)

And again,

I say, “You are my shelter,
my portion in the land of the living.” (Psalm 142:5)

Are you feeling alone right now? Abandoned?

Jesus knew what that was like. (Matthew 27:46)

Yet God didn’t abandon him to the prison of his grave. (Acts 2:25-32)

He won’t abandon you either.

So cry to him.

Plead with him.

Pour out your heart and reveal your troubles to him.

He will hear.

And he will raise you up.

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Mark Devotionals Psalms Devotionals

The one who understands our suffering

Psalms

As I was reading Mark 15 this morning, I thought about Jesus’ words “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Jesus was of course quoting from Psalm 22, and as I read it, I came across these words.

For he has not despised or abhorred the torment of the oppressed. He did not hide his face from him but listened when he cried to him for help. (Psalm 22:24)

Jesus knows what it’s like to have the Father hide his face from him. To feel abandoned. (Although the Father never truly abandoned Jesus).

And it is for that reason that he does not despise or abhor those who are suffering.

Although we may feel abandoned by God at times, or feel as if he is ignoring our prayers, he does not hide his face from us. And he does turn his ears to our prayers.

So whatever you’re going through now, turn to him. And remember the words of the writer to the Hebrews.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.

Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

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Psalms

Abandoned?

Psalms

One thing I’ve noticed about the psalms as I’ve been going through them is that a lot of the themes seem to be similar.

Particularly, the struggles people have when dealing with an invisible God. It’s kind of comforting, actually.

Psalm 77 is no different. The psalmist starts out by crying out,

I cried out to God for help;
I cried out to God to hear me.

When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;
at night I stretched out untiring hands,
and I would not be comforted. (Psalm 77:1–2)

How often do we do the same? We cry out to God, and yet hear…nothing. And because of our troubled hearts, we can’t sleep. Instead, we start asking as the psalmist did,

“Will the Lord reject forever?
Will he never show his favor again?

Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?

Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion?” (7–9)

In short, have you abandoned me? Have you given up on me? Do you consider me a lost cause?

But in the midst of his despair, he cries out,

“To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.

I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.

I will consider all your works
and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

Your ways, God, are holy.
What god is as great as our God?

You are the God who performs miracles;
you display your power among the peoples.

With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph…

You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron. (10–15, 20)

In a moment, he thrusts out all thoughts that God has abandoned him.

And he says, “God, I cannot believe you’ve abandoned me. You’ve done too much for me in the past to believe that.

“You cared enough that you redeemed me and my people. And you led us as your sheep through the desert to where we are now.

“Because of all the love you’ve shown to me in the past, I refuse to believe you’ve abandoned me now.”

That’s faith. It’s believing though we can’t see.

Though we can’t see or feel God’s love at a particular moment or time, we believe he still cares.

Though we can’t see or feel God’s presence for a season, we hold on to the belief that he is still there and that he has not abandoned us.

But faith is not completely blind. Because when we look back on our past, we can see the evidence of God’s power and love in our lives.

So when we feel abandoned as the psalmist did, let us look back on God’s goodness in our lives, and know that the God who was with us then, is with us now.