Prayer For Deliverance

(As you can probably tell, I got a very late start of the devotion for February 4th so that is why it is dated February 5th (but its the 4th - Next one will help me get caught up).

The scripture verse for today is in the book of Psalm, chapter 43, verse 5 which says... "Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, The help of my countenance, and my God."

I've had some very intense discussions with my Mother this week about being "in despair or disturbed" about a family situation. Not a coincidence, I don't believe, that this scripture came before me today. The Psalmist starts this chapter by challenging the God of the universe by saying... "VINDICATE me, O God, and plead my case against any ungodly nation; O deliver me from he deceitful and unjust man! For Thou are the God of my strength; why hast Thou rejected me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? O send out Thy light and Thy truth, let them lead me; Let them bring me to Thy holy hill, And to Thy dwelling places. Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy; and upon the lyre I shall praise Thee, O God, my God."

In these first 4 verses he is speaking to God and asking Him to "plead his case against ungodliness..." Wow! Seems like we as finite humans are always calling upon God to "plead our case", no matter what the case may be.

But in the last verse, which is the focus, the writer's question dwells from within himself as he wonders, "Why...in despair...why disturbed within myself?" He is "God savvy" enough to understand that God is his strength yet he feels such despair and is so disturbed. And here in the last verse of the chapter as he closes out the thoughts of the first four verses he counts on his "Hope in God" he wishes to "praise God". He seeks the help of his "countenance and God" to bring him out of this despair (one of the definitions of "countenance" is approval or favor; encouragement; moral support). So he is looking to his calm facial expression or his composure that he seeks from God to come to him in his time of despair.

Wow! Is that all we have to do when we are down or disturbed about something? Pretty much, I think! In these down times we need to remind our souls that our God is their peace and understanding for ALL THINGS, good or bad. So I asked my Mom to ask her soul why it was in despair and then ask God to grant her peace.

Dave