This passage from Psalm 69, though written about 2,000 years ago, can nevertheless be instructive for us today:
16 Hear me, O Lord, for Your lovingkindness is good;
Turn to me according to the multitude of Your tender mercies.
17 And do not hide Your face from Your servant,
For I am in trouble; Hear me speedily.
18 Draw near to my soul, and redeem it;
Deliver me because of my enemies.
I’m certain that this passage strikes a cord with just about everyone. Psalm 69 is a well-known and beloved one.
I certainly can relate.
Having said that, I hasten to add that as we read this passage with our thoroughly-modern eyes, many of us would have some thoughts about how we often set ourselves up for misery and troubles.
We may meditate on the importance of building and maintaining strong relationships and keeping out of situations where our actions have created chaos and difficulties where Divine intervention seems our only way out.
And it’s also true that when we’re in tight spot and our problems seem beyond our abilities to deal with them, we’ll appeal to God to intervene and set our feet back on solid ground, so to speak.
And we’ll do that whether our troubles truly come from circumstances beyond our control or–as is often the case–our own decisions and actions have led to our predicament.
Plead for Divine help when you’re in a tight spot.
And be sure to also examine your choices and your deeds and take life’s inevitable troubles as opportunities to become better at keeping yourself out of misery, despondence and despair.
Brother Ben
© 2019 The Fellowship of St Francis, Inc.
The Fellowship of St Francis 