Strangers in a Strange Land - Pt. 4

 

My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me. And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest; yes, I would wander far away; I would lodge in the wilderness; I would hurry to find a shelter from the raging wind and tempest.” (Psalm 55:4-8 ESV).

 

God knows that the journey of life is not always easy. His Word is full of stories and laments of people who suffered pain and sorrow. Our reading today is one of those passages that 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 result? How often do we wish to turn to someone who can help us in a situation that seems impossible to resolve? Or, as our verse 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 their words. They offer a voice of praise, but also of lament. The Bible, God’s Word to us, is versatile for any occasion.

 

I have heard from so many people in this last year concerning the struggles they have experienced. There have been those who have struggles through enormous health issues; others have been financially crippled by the pandemic; many have experienced the pain of broken relationships and the grief of loss. There can be no denial of the level of difficulty we have seen on such a large scale during these months. I find many have taken some short-lived solace in blaming others for the circumstance; however, I would remind you that looking back is a recipe for disaster in travel.

 

We must be honest with ourselves. As strangers in this strange land, 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. Have you “cast your cares on the LORD” today? This is the basis for prayer in such a strange land!