DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-02-08
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 22:1-5
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹ My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
    Why are you so far away when I groan for help?
² Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer.
    Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief.
³ Yet you are holy,
    enthroned on the praises of Israel.
⁴ Our ancestors trusted in you,
    and you rescued them.
⁵ They cried out to you and were saved.
    They trusted in you and were never disgraced.

APPLICATION: Don’t we sometimes feel deserted and defeated when things are not going the way we expect, or want? But isn’t it satisfying to note that other great saints had similar feelings at various times in their lives, and we have the advantage of reading how things turned out for them? David was a great man of God, yet in today’s Psalm he shares how he felt abandoned by God, in spite of his cries and groans for help. You may have noticed from the words of this Psalm that it is almost identical to the words of Jesus’ cry on the cross, for He also felt forsaken by God, when He saw that God was allowing His crucifixion to proceed. So we are in good company when we start feeling like our prayers are hitting a brick wall. David knew that God was very capable of rescuing him and saving him from his times of tumult. No doubt David also had it all calculated how God would handle his situation, and very often this is what makes us so frustrated, for we know what we want to see happen, yet God in His infinite wisdom, has different plans in mind. But let’s take in the added methods used by David. He basically reminded himself of how powerful God is, and how He had seen God help in times past, so he knew the ability was there, and that God would respond if He knew that David’s request was in his best interest. But regardless of all this, David saw where God had other plans in his case, for He was not giving him immediate release from his problems. Does this sound familiar dear friends? We have seen committed Christians pray earnestly for their Christian spouse stricken with Covid, yet they have succumbed to that dreaded decease, even though we have read in the Bible and seen in current history where God healed the sick and restored them back to good health. We have seen faithful Christian people die of their injuries sustained in automobile accidents, even though they prayed for safe traveling mercies each morning, and had huge plans for continued ministry in the coming days. Is it not clear why David became engrossed in his apparent abandonment, and felt like God no longer cared for him? But, faithful believers and friends, let us never forget a few things that we know from the Bible: His ways are not our ways – We know what we selfishly want, but God knows what it will take to reach that lost son, daughter, or coworker. He knows the lives that would be touched by your testimony. His ways are perfect – in spite of our assurance that we know what He should, or should not do, let us always remember when we say that God is in control of everything – that includes the good results that we like, and the results that we just don’t understand or would personally subscribe to. Friends, I believe that David would remind us, and ensure that we never forget, that our God’s not dead, nor is He blind or deaf to our worse-case scenarios. His love for us extends to the ends of the earth, through good and bad, through happy and sad times. He knows what our future holds, and He has already planned for how we will spend that. We may be happy if He allows us to remain on earth, but if He is ready for us in heaven, then our future is filled with overwhelming joy and happiness as we meet around the throne and worship He and the Father endlessly! So there is no need to question God over our frustrations, let’s just prepare ourselves for the ecstasy of that day when pain and heartache will no longer exist, but replaced with joy and happiness in His presence.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: There is no greater joy than knowing that God has everything under His total control. Frustration may come when things don’t go like we expect, but joy comes in the morning, when we arise in His eternal, heavenly presence!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for saving my soul, thank You Lord for making me whole, thank You Lord for giving to me – Thy great salvation so rich and full! Please forgive us when we moan and complain because You didn’t heal as quickly as we expected, or in a manner that we told You to. You are definitely in control and we can gladly shout from the rooftops how Your answer to our dilemmas far exceed anything we could ever dream of on our own. You alone are God, and we are mere man. Please help us to bring our burdens to You and leave them there, for You know the plans You have for us, and You will clear mountains so that Your plans might be fulfilled. Oh that You might be lifted up because of the awesome work of the One who lives in, controls, and constantly loves on us. May this be the envy of the unsaved and may they be drawn to You as they see You at work in Your people. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!