Psalm 6[a]
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith.[b] A psalm of David.
1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.
2 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint;
heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.
3 My soul is in deep anguish.
How long, Lord, how long?
4 Turn, Lord, and deliver me;
save me because of your unfailing love.
5 Among the dead no one proclaims your name.
Who praises you from the grave?
6 I am worn out from my groaning.
All night long I flood my bed with weeping
and drench my couch with tears.
7 My eyes grow weak with sorrow;
they fail because of all my foes.
8 Away from me, all you who do evil,
for the Lord has heard my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;
the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish;
they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.
As I read about and then watch the news reports about today's tragedy, I was overcome. Days like these come and go, and we make lists of the tragedies in our world, and the number of people killed, but this one seems heavier.
Dear Lord, why are innocent children allowed to suffer? Why are children taken from families? Did these kids already have gifts waiting for them under the tree? There is no possible way to understand the grief of a parent who loses a child like this. Our words are completely useless to define or explain what has happened today.
Read again verse 4 above, "save me because of your unfailing love." This is our hope. This is our promise. God is light, and in Him there is no darkness. He will overcome. He will hear our cry for mercy. He will not let our enemies to have the final victory. He will save us, because that is what it means to have a God whose very identity, whose unchanging character, and whose core attribute is "unfailing love."
So we cry out with confidence verses 8 and 9. "Away from me, all you who do evil, for the Lord has heard my weeping. The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer." Like we talked about last Sunday, God has placed us in the "peace box" and locked the top, and thrown away the key. Nothing on Heaven or Earth will every be able to separate us from the love of God. He is the provider and the keeper of the peace, and we can rest in his arms.
I want to invite you to come to church tonight (7pm), and pray with us. Come and find comfort. Come, and find safety. Come and find peace.
Your pastor,
Mark
Mark Kraakevik of 8776 West Geddes Place, Littleton, CO 80128
Mark can be reached at 720-308-4051
Mark's blog can be found at www.markkraakevik.posterous.com
Mark can be reached at 720-308-4051
Mark's blog can be found at www.markkraakevik.posterous.com
