Wings For Times Of Trouble
This is an audio recording of Wings for Times of Trouble the Day 13 entry in Today: Devotions for Seafarers (Vol. 2) by Jason Zuidema.
Listen to the audio by Donielle Hart Goad or read the text below:
“My heart is in anguish within me;
the terrors of death have fallen on me.
Fear and trembling have beset me;
horror has overwhelmed me.
I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest.”
You might know this saying: "A calm sea does not make a skilled sailor." Though much of our contract might be on normal waters, there will be storms and difficulties. Seafarers test their training in rough waters-- they need to know how to react with skill and professionalism when challenges arise.
God knows that the journey of life is also not always easy. His Word is full of stories and laments of people who suffered pain and sorrow.
This psalm speaks honestly about the challenges of life. How often must we also deal with struggles? How often do we feel powerless when faced with situations that seem to have no happy conclusion? How often do we wish to turn to someone who can actually help us in a situation that seems impossible to resolve? Or, as our text implies, how often do we just want to fly away?
The psalms speak to all the emotions of the believer's heart. These are not always happy emotions: people who follow Christ still feel the pressures of life in this world. In fact, the psalms help us honestly express our faith. We can pray the psalms, recite the psalms, and sing the psalms. We can cry out to God, using the psalmists' words. They offer a voice of praise, but also of lament. The Bible, God's Word to us, is versatile for any occasion.
As pilgrims, we will experience both highs and lows in our lives. The psalms can give us the vocabulary necessary to speak to God in every situation. Our heavenly Father wants to hear from us always, even at our worst. He's big enough to hear anything we have to say.
For Further Thought
What do you do when your life is difficult?
What emotions do you have when you are frustrated?
How can prayer help you deal with frustration?
Prayer
Lord, you give your Word and Spirit to lead and comfort us. Fill me again today so that I can live faithfully. I can live only by your blessing. Amen.
