We are privileged to have guest devotion blog writers during the summer. Enjoy hearing from Deb Potts today!
His Word: I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. Psalm 57:9-11
Observation & Obedience: Aren’t those words from Psalm 57 wonderful? Can’t you just picture David playing his harp and singing a melodious tune praising God? When I read these words I get a word picture in my mind. There’s a beautiful forest, a deep blue, cloudless sky, birds are singing in the trees and the aroma of budding flowers scents the air.
But, wait a minute. If we take a look at the beginning of this Psalm, we get an entirely different picture. “I take refuge…disaster…I cry out…hotly pursue me…in the midst of lions…I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts…bowed down in distress…a pit in my path.”
Not exactly a tiptoe through the tulips moment. I love God’s honesty. He doesn’t just fill His word with platitudes and pleasantries. He lets His writers get real. Can I get real with you today?
I’ve had plenty of pits in my path of life. Maybe you have too. There have been pillows soggy with sorrow, worry gnawing at my insides, brooding that stuck like glue, and shock that paralyzed. David experienced some pretty awful things as well.
So how can he possibly transform those pits into praise?
David starts his ascent out of the pit when he makes up his mind to wake up and take notice of what he’s been doing. “Awake my soul!” In verse 8, he begins the transformation from dark night to glorious day. He decides to stop his song of lament about his troubles. He commits to focusing on all that is good and right and wonderful and praiseworthy about his God.
“I will sing of you among the peoples.” Singing is our way of making any story melodious.
When I think of melodious stories, I think of birds. One of my favorite sounds is birdsong. Birds outside my window start telling their song-stories before the sun rises each morning. When I wake up to the sound of birdsong it just makes me smile.
Our songs not only lift us up, they make God smile too. David’s situation didn’t change, the ravenous beasts were still there. What changed was David’s focus. No matter what difficulty we’re going through, we can always find something to sing about when we focus on God.
Here are some things I do when I need to change the direction of my thoughts. If you have a smart phone and earbuds, you can even do these things in the echoing quiet of the night.
• Listen to an audio bible recording of your favorite scriptures. I love the Psalms for comfort.
• Sing out loud to your favorite praise and worship music. If everyone else is sleeping, sing in your heart.
• Listen to a nature sounds app. I love to fall asleep to the sound of a river or crickets or birdsong when I’m alone.
Are you wandering in the night of your soul? Turn on the Light, perk up your ears for the Melody, and sing for all you’re worth!
Prayer: “Abba, I so often let my mind get wrapped around the wrinkles of my life. They seem so overwhelming sometimes! When I do that, will you help me to wake up and pay attention to You instead? Will you put a new song in my heart when the brooding begins? Will you help me remember there’s plenty to praise if I will just waken to Your love that surpasses all understanding? Thank You. Thank. You. Amen.”
Encouragement: Be like a bird that, halting in its flight, rests on a limb too slight. And feeling it give way beneath him sings, knowing he has wings. L.B.Cowman, Streams in the Desert
Written by: Deb Potts
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