Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Psalm 40: A Testimony of Goodness and Grace

I turned to Psalm 40 this morning and discovered a little note I'd written and forgotten about: "December 28, 2002 - an encouragement and a prayer." I had to stop and think about what was going on in my life three years ago this December. When I realized, and read the psalm, I was amazed as I saw and remembered God's faithfulness in my life.

In December 2002, I had just finished what was, in some ways, my most difficult semester of college--not just academically, but emotionally, physically, relationally, spiritually...I was struggling. Just a couple of weeks before, I had made the difficult decision to walk away from a potential relationship that had seemed, at first, to be God-ordained. I was hurting and confused, questioning my own judgment and wondering what God was up to in my life. I read these words, and they comforted me:

"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" (v. 1-2).

These words became my prayer:

"I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart. ...Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD; may your love and your truth always protect me. For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs on my head, and my heart fails within me. Be pleased, O LORD, to save me; O LORD, come quickly to help me" (v. 8,11-13).

Four days after I scribbled that little note in my Bible, Steve called. He asked me to go for a drive and talk--and on that drive, he asked me about the possibility of pursuing something beyond the friendship we'd shared for several years. It was a conversation I'd dreamed of for at least two years, but hardly dared to hope would ever happen.

Today, I join the psalmist in proclaiming:

"Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare" (v. 4-5).

I had to take a moment to testify to His grace and goodness. He indeed "put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God." I pray that because of my testimony, "Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD" (v. 3).

"I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly. ...may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, 'The LORD be exalted!'" (v. 10, 16)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Excellent post and testimony. Thank you for sharing it.

rebekah said...

very encouraging.
thanks for sharing amy :)