My loved ones and friends stand back from my affliction, and my relatives stand at a distance. – Psalm 38:11
I don’t know if I can emphasis enough, the beauty of the psalms. The psalms are written with every human emotion. Sure, many are praises to God, but it is amazing the psalms of lamentation, were we see the soul of someone crying out in distress, seemingly depressed because of their condition, living in fear of enemies, and so on. The psalms give us a glimpse into understanding that the God who created us, gave us these emotions and we can use them to turn to God.
As I was reading the psalms, I came again to Psalm 38, and like anything else, we tend to read within our current context or frame of mind. I encourage you to read the entirety of this psalm, as you have time, today. David is the attributed writer, and he is challenged by a feeling of remembering his sin. He feels abandoned by God, and feels isolated because of his iniquity.
Some of us may feel isolated right now, and it is possible that in our safer at home mandate, the mind has more time to wonder, to worry, to be concerned with the world, and even more so with self. Please hear this, God has not abandoned us, and God has not abandoned you.
Even when we are alone, God is with us. Even when we don’t know it, can’t feel it, even in our doubt and brokenness, God is with us. That is the beauty of hope, knowing that the God who created the universe chooses, also, to be in the midst of it with us.
So, take a deep breath this morning, and know God is here. May it give you the strength, the comfort, the peace for today, and even more hope for tomorrow. Amen.
Grace & Peace,
Sam