November 28, 2017
I Have a Hope!
Mary Southerland
Today’s Truth
I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. 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. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God (Psalm 40:1-3).
Friend to Friend
In the 1950s, Curt Richter, a Harvard graduate and Johns Hopkins scientist, did a series of experiments that tested how long rats could swim in high-sided buckets of circulating water before drowning. Dr. Richter found that, under normal conditions, a rat could swim for an average of 15 minutes before giving up and sinking. However, if he rescued the rats just before drowning, dried them off, and let them rest briefly before putting them back into the same buckets of circulating water, the rats could swim an average of 60 hours.
Conclusion: If a rat were saved – even temporarily, it would survive 240 times longer than if it were not saved at all.
Interesting!
How could these rats swim so much longer during the second session, especially after swimming as long as possible to stay alive during the first session? Dr. Richter concluded that the rats were able to swim longer because they were given hope.
Hope can stand beside grief and give us the strength to go on.
Hope can deflect the attacks of the enemy, even when we are wounded and weary of the battle.
Have you ever been so tired, utterly discouraged and in so much pain that you could hardly breathe? That is exactly where we find King David, the author of Psalm 40.
David was a shepherd boy, a giant killer, a general and king, a singer, a husband and father, and a very religious man. David had it all – success, money, power and the favor of God. Men like that are not supposed to commit adultery – right? But David did commit adultery with Bathsheba. And that is not all he did! David then sent Bathsheba’s husband to the front lines of war, knowing he would be killed. David moved in with Bathsheba – but he knew he was swimming in sin.
David realized that he had sinned against God and begged God to forgive him. “Lord, I have sinned” David cried. God’s mercy and love went to work, restoring David to the point that God said “This is a man after my own heart.”
Wow!
Did you notice the powerful truth that God turned to David? I don’t think David had the energy to turn to God. He had been swimming in his sin far too long. But like a father whose heart and ears are tuned to the cries of His children - even when they have made mistakes – even when they are broken and their lives are a mess, when the children of God cry out for God, He hears and comes running.
If God heard the cry of David, He will hear yours. He knows everything you have done and loves you still. He can see every corner of your pain-filled heart and sees every tear you have cried.
Psalm 56:8 “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle. You have recorded each one in Your book.”
You can count on God to come through. He is your hope.
One of my favorite worship songs says:
I have a hope that will never fade away.
It’s alive in me, living day-to-day.
I have a hope, and my hope has a name – Jesus Christ.
No matter where you are today, lift up your head, open your heart, and listen for the voice of the One who knows you best and loves you most. He is with you and He will deliver you.
Let’s Pray
Lord, it seems as if my world has collapsed, hurling me into a deep, dark pit. I come to You in complete surrender. I am desperate for You, helpless and afraid. Please lift me out of this pit and show me the way, Lord.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Pour out your heart to your God, asking Him to uncover the dark places in your life. As He does, record them in your journal. Be honest with yourself and with God. Read Psalms 40:1-3 each day and claim it as God’s promise to you.
More from the Girlfriends
Mary’s book, Hope in the Midst of Depression, chronicles Mary’s journey from the pit of darkness into the light of God’s restoration. But it is more than that! It is a guide for living a life of victory. Check it out today! And be sure to connect with Mary on Facebook or through email.
Seeking God?
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Click here to learn more about hosting a Girlfriends in God conference in your area or having one of the GiGs speak at your next women's event.
Originally published Tuesday, 28 November 2017.
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