Why remember all the times of trouble when the bottom fell out?
By Dean Collins
Is it worth remembering the times in your life when “the bottom fell out” or when you were in “the bottom of the barrel”? Today’s Psalm says yes.
Urgent prayer
As the pilgrims continued their journey to the city of God and the temple in Jerusalem, we continue to overhear a recurring message when the psalmist reviews past times of despair for the children of Israel. Psalm 130 opens, “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! O Lord, hear my voice!”
The tone of this prayer sounds urgent. It seems as if the psalmist is currently at the bottom of the barrel, the bottom has fallen out, and in desperation, the psalmist raises his voice urgently to get God’s attention. “Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy!”
Do we need to ask or demand that God pay attention? Does the Almighty have a case of attention deficit disorder and need our help in order to stay focused on the matters that matter to us? Or is it possible that it is our despair and times of crisis that prompt us to urgently bring our needs to God? It may be when things are going easily that we are lured into thinking we are smart enough, good enough, and strong enough to handle whatever comes our way.
Recurring cycle
We do know that bad things happen even to those who daily attempt to surrender to God’s will. The fall of man in the Garden set off centuries of dysfunction. In the brokenness of this world, the enemy seeks to disrupt, divide, and destroy human relationships. Sometimes it is our sin that creates despair. Sometimes it is the greed, selfishness, or pride of another that makes it seem as if the bottom fell out. Sometimes bad things happen that we simply cannot explain, and we spiral downward in our insistence that things should make sense or that we should be able to figure things out with or without God.
This cycle occurred all throughout the Old Testament Scriptures. The children of Israel knew many seasons of suffering. And as the spiritual travelers walked toward Jerusalem they cried out to God about current difficulties, but they also cried out to God so they might remember this: If they were walking to Jerusalem today then God had delivered them yesterday or sometime before; otherwise they would not still be on this journey.
The psalmist realized what we know as well; it is a good thing that God doesn’t keep a scorecard of our sins and mistakes, because if he did, surely none of us would qualify. “But with you there is forgiveness!” Long before the earth received the newborn king in Bethlehem, God was in the forgiveness business. His banner over us is love, and his mercy comes as an expression of his love.
New life
This psalm reminds us that though it is dark and things seem not to be resolved, the morning will dawn. Just as watchmen around the city gates waited to see the new day, we also await a fresh dose of life filled with mercy and grace.
As we go through our spiritual journey, we can remember with the ancient saints that God is with us. He will be our strength. He wants us in community together so we can help each other in times of struggle. Just as he redeemed Israel, he redeems us from all of our iniquities.
Thank you, Lord, for waking us up today. Thank you for a fresh dose of mercy and grace. Thank you for the followers of Christ who journey with us. Be our strength today as we seek to pour out your love to someone in need around us. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your time with God’s Word
Psalm 130 ESV
Photo by Diane Picchiottino on Unsplash
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