February 26, 2009

• I waited patiently for ADONAI, till he turned toward me and heard my cry

  Psalms 40:1-17  For the leader. A psalm of David: I waited patiently for ADONAI, till he turned toward me and heard my cry.  (2)  He brought me up from the roaring pit, up from the muddy ooze, and set my feet on a rock, making my footing firm.  (3)  He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will look on in awe and put their trust in ADONAI.  (4)  How blessed the man who trusts in ADONAI and does not look to the arrogant or to those who rely on things that are false.  (5)  How much you have done, ADONAI my God! Your wonders and your thoughts toward us -none can compare with you! I would proclaim them, I would speak about them; but there’s too much to tell!  (6)  Sacrifices and grain offerings you don’t want; burnt offerings and sin offerings you don’t demand. Instead, you have given me open ears;  (7)  so then I said, “Here I am! I’m coming! In the scroll of a book it is written about me.  (8)  Doing your will, my God, is my joy; your Torah is in my inmost being.  (9)  I have proclaimed what is right in the great assembly; I did not restrain my lips, ADONAI, as you know.  (10)  I did not hide your righteousness in my heart but declared your faithfulness and salvation; I did not conceal your grace and truth from the great assembly.”  (11)  ADONAI, don’t withhold your mercy from me. Let your grace and truth preserve me always.  (12)  For numberless evils surround me; my iniquities engulf me – I can’t even see; there are more of them than hairs on my head, so that my courage fails me.  (13)  Be pleased, ADONAI, to rescue me! ADONAI, hurry and help me!  (14)  May those who seek to sweep me away be disgraced and humiliated together. May those who take pleasure in doing me harm be turned back and put to confusion.  (15)  May those who jeer at me, “Aha! Aha!” be aghast because of their shame.  (16)  But may all those who seek you be glad and take joy in you. May those who love your salvation say always, “ADONAI is great and glorious!”  (17)  But I am poor and needy; may Adonai think of me. You are my helper and rescuer; my God, don’t delay!

  A man fell into a pit and couldn’t get himself out.
  A NEWS REPORTER wanted the exclusive story on his pit.
  CONFUCIUS said: “If you would have listened to me, you would not be in that pit.”
  BUDDHA said: “Your pit is only a state of mind.”
  A PHARISEE said: “Only BAD people fall into a pit. You deserve it.”
  A REALIST said: “That’s a PIT.”
  The MOVIE LOVER said, “Is this Brad’s Pitt?”
  A GEOLOGIST told him to appreciate the rock strata in the pit.
  The COUNTY INSPECTOR asked if he had a permit to dig a pit.
  A SELF-PITYING person said: “You haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen MY PIT!!”
  An OPTIMIST said: “Things COULD be worse.”
  A PESSIMIST said: “Things WILL get worse!!”
  Adonai, seeing the man, took him by the hand and LIFTED HIM OUT of the pit.

  People see what Adonai is doing in your life. They see Adonai taking you out of the pit. People are brought to Adonai through the witness of a life that has been changed.

  Adonai’s thoughts towards us are innumerable. The Bible tells us that Adonai knows every hair of our head. Now if He is that concerned about things that are small, nonessential, how much more is He concerned about the big things in our life.

  A bondslave was a slave who served his 6 years and in the 7th year he was free to go. But if he wanted to remain with his master because he loved him, he would be taken to the door post and there his ear would be pierced and a gold ring placed in it. That told everyone that this man freely has given his life to serve his master. That is what Adonai wants from us, our life! He is interested in your life, that it would be a sacrifice unto Him, a sweet smelling sacrifice.

  One of the keys to getting out of the pit of depression is not to let yourself sit in a corner too long.  Get up and serve Adonai.  Do what you need to do.

  Share your faith with others.  Don’t hide the treasure Adonai has given you. Adonai’s forgiveness of us ought to impact others. It ought to even affect the way we share our faith.

  Shalom

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