Psalm 40:1-11

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.” vss. 1-2

We’ve probably all imagined what it would be like to be caught in a pit of quicksand. Maybe we’ve seen a movie or video showing some person slowly sinking out of sight. It’s the source material for nightmares! Can you see it now? You’re walking a rainsoaked path through a jungle area and wander onto a muddy flat. The muck is deep and clings to your feet. Suddenly you’re stuck and unable to move and the sinking begins: knees, thighs, waist. Alone you cry for help! And then your rescuer comes, bending, he catches hold of your arms and pulls you to safety, a rock on which you can stand. The psalmist says that this is what the Lord does when we lose our way. His words sound like the testimony we’d hear at an AA meeting. We know the stories. In the face of addiction God acts to rescue and restore. The Lord gives power when our own strength has disappeared. At the bottom, at the end of our resources, our God comes and we are saved. It may be that this is our own tale, one that we should never be reluctant to share. This is what God is for us–this is what God can be. That’s why every day is a time for thanks and praise.

Thought for the Day: What’s my story?