Psalm 130 A Plea for God’s Help
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. “From the depths of despair, O Lord, I call for your help. Hear my cry, O Lord. Pay attention to my prayer.
Lord, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you.
I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word. I long for the Lord more than sentries long for the dawn, yes, more than sentries long for the dawn.
O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is unfailing love. His redemption overflows. He himself will redeem Israel from every kind of sin.”
“From the depths of despair, O Lord, I call for your help. Hear my cry, O Lord. Pay attention to my prayer.” There are times when we find ourselves in situations that seem hopeless. No matter which way we turn, we see no way out of the mess we’re in. There’s nobody who can help us and there might not even be anyone who knows where we are or the mess we are in. That’s the situation in which Aron Lee Ralston found himself.
On April 26, 2003, during a solo descent of Bluejohn Canyon in southeastern Utah, he dislodged a boulder, pinning his right wrist to the side of the canyon wall. After five days, he had to break his decomposing forearm, amputate it with a dull pocket knife to break free, make his way through the rest of the canyon, rappel down a 65-foot (20 m) drop, and hike 7 miles (11 km) to safety. Ralston was found by hikers, who gave him water, dressed his wound, and called emergency services.
While we might not find ourselves in such dire straits physically, emotional crises, financial crises, and losses of family and friends can hit any of us. Currently, I have been viewing videos of the flooding in the Texas Hill Country. Watching these scenes of devastation, I can scarcely wrap my mind around the pain these people are feeling. As emergency workers, volunteers, and family members speak of the tragic losses, I find myself praying, begging God to comfort, to encourage, to strengthen and to heal all those involved. Truly, only God can properly heal these people.
“Lord, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you.” People are great for keeping score of every little hurt and insult. But God is amazing. Micah 7:18-19 tells us, “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” Psalm 103:11-12 tells us, “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
“I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word. I long for the Lord more than sentries long for the dawn, yes, more than sentries long for the dawn.” Consider the old-time watchmen on the walls of ancient cities. These men had to remain awake and attentive all night long; little wonder then, that these men would long for sunrise so that they could go off duty and go home to sleep. When you’re in a mess, all you want is hope and relief. The longer you continue with no change in your problems, the more desperate you are for help. The great thing about God is that God hears us, God sees us, and God will not abandon us.
“O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is unfailing love. His redemption overflows. He himself will redeem Israel from every kind of sin.” Because of God’s unfailing love, we can be redeemed from every kind of sin. When we repent, God will forgive us.
1 John 1:8-9 says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” God’s promises are sure and He never fails. Today, give your mess to the Lord and let Him sort it out. But make sure that there is no sin that you need to confess. There’s no point in trying to cover up sin, for God already knows what you have done. Simply follow John’s advice: confess and receive forgiveness!
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, we confess that we have failed to do Your will. Please forgive our sins and help us to change so that we will glorify You in our lives. Thank You for redeeming us and for giving us hope. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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