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| How do we thank God after He brings us out of a tough spot? |
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You know your trial is
deep if the Lord is the only One who could pull you out. You cry when you hurt
so badly you don't have words to describe the pain - you never cry alone - God
listens to your grief. You will always love best the One who stands with you in
your moment of greatest need - today the Lord is calling you to trust Him and
Him alone
George O. Wood
But the
last time He just said, "Sleep on and take your rest" (see
Matthew 26:41-45).
The
teacher did not immediately respond.
Then
the child spoke again. "I think I know. It was because Jesus had seen
the face of His Father and He didn't need their help anymore."
In Psalm 116, this
fourth of the Hallel (praise) psalms — which Jesus most likely sang with His
disciples after the Last Supper — fervent thanksgiving is offered to the Lord
for a recent deliverance from trial.
If you
believe the Scripture that endurance, character and hope issue from suffering (Romans
5:3-5) and that God works good in all things (Romans
8:28), then let this psalm encourage you even if you are in a severe
personal trial.
The
psalm tells how you'll feel when you're on safe ground again.
Desperate
Need
You cry
when you hurt so badly you don't have words to describe the pain.
You
never cry alone. God listens to your grief. You will always love best the One
who stands with you in your moment of greatest need (verses
1-2).
Jesus
experienced the powerful entangling pull of death into the grave (verse
3).
Keep
taking the antidote: "Then I called on the name of the Lord: 'O Lord,
save me!'" (verse 4).
The
Lord may not save you from your dilemma all at once (see Exodus
13:17; 23:29-30).
He may
untie the knots of entangling cords one at a time.
But
because He is gracious, righteous and full of compassion, you can count on His
help (verse 5-6).
Wonderful
Deliverance
Affliction
brings disquiet.
When
the storm is over, like the psalmist, you may talk to yourself in an atmosphere
of peace (verse 7; see also Mark 4:39).
The
psalmist looks back upon his harrowing passage.
Death
stared him in the face.
He
wept, lost his footing, knew great affliction and didn't trust anyone (verses
8-11).
Too
often we look to human resources for answers to our dilemmas.
Today
the Lord is calling you to trust Him and Him alone.
You
know your trial is deep if the Lord is the only One who could pull you out.
Will
you imitate the Psalmist by placing the words "I believe"
before your lament, "I am greatly afflicted" (verse
10)?
Then,
look to the face of the Father.
Promises
Remembered
How do
we thank God after He brings us out of a tough spot (verse
12)?
The
psalmist keeps the promises he made to the Lord while he was in trial.
Thus,
he goes to the temple for presentation of the drink and meat offerings of
thanks (verses 13-19).
As
followers of Jesus, we bring a different kind of sacrifice: the continual
offering of our life to the Lord, our praise, and doing good to others (1 Peter
2:5; Hebrews 13:15,16).
One
phrase, often lifted from this section for comfort at funerals, is: "Precious
in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints" (verse
15).
The
more likely translation is, "Costly in the sight of the Lord is the
death of his saints."
If this
is the meaning intended, it's the psalmist's way of linking us with the Lord's
purposes by stating that our removal from the human scene is costly to God's
work on earth.
It's a
supporting argument for our plea of rescue to God, "Please let me live
a while longer because there's work I have to do for You that won't get done
without me."
When
God delivers us, it is appropriate to consider ourselves as freed from chains
that we might be more effectively God's servants (verse 16).
A
grateful heart of surrender to the Lord leads to freely flowing praise and
thanksgiving (verses 17-19).
George
O. Wood is
former general superintendent for the Assemblies of God. For the original
article, visit georgeowood.com.
