Devotion: Hope

Psalm 40:1-3

I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
and put their trust in him.

“It’s the pits!” How many times have we said or heard those words exclaimed by those suffering from grief, illness, financial woes? The feelings of utter despair and hopelessness.
In this psalm, King David is forlorn being caught in the pit of miry clay. Imagine him sinking deeper and deeper into the sludge and gasping for breath. He is overwhelmed. At times, we, too, feel engulfed by our circumstances.
And, then- and then we wait “patiently for the Lord”. God’s help seems so long in coming. We can’t set deadlines for God. We wait and trust patiently. This is a great part of the Christian life. To develop meekness and humility in our waiting.
The Lord delivers David in verse two by setting his feet firmly on a rock. No more miry clay and hopelessness. God takes David and us from our desperation to a sense of security. It gives us a strong feeling of God’s newness and help.
In verse three, God gives David a new song, a hymn of praise to our God that others may see Him and trust in Him. It gives us the opportunity to “sing” others into the kingdom when we have been rescued from our own miry clay.
This entire psalm gives us a lesson in hope and evangelism. When we are in the pits, we cry out to God like a helpless child; then humbly and hopefully wait patiently for the Lord; and when He delivers us in His own time and makes us secure, we sing a new song of His grace so people can see and fear and trust in the Lord.
So now we have the pattern. The next time you are in the pits, remember 1-2-3.
1.) Cry out. 2.) Wait patiently. 3). Sing a new song.
“My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness…On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand.” – Edward Mote

Dear Lord, Grant me the patience to wait for your time to rescue me from the pit. Place a new song in my heart when you deliver me that I might praise and share your grace with others. Provide for me that firm place to stand. Amen

Written by Janece Nelson

Janece and husband, Mike, have been members of Sheridan for eleven years. Janece is a retired mathematics instructor teaching at the middle school and college level. They are blessed with two children and three grandchildren (ages 7-13). Janece finds her greatest joy in spending time with her family and friends. Her passion is writing devotions for patients in hospitals and rehabs she sees every Monday as a Sheridan hospital visitor. As a Teammate she also mentors girls at Boys Town. Janece credits Faith Builders and Companions in Christ for her spiritual growth.