A Petition
BRD REFLECTIONS:
(Rosalia Rivera Mahendran (PTM, Crisis Relief Wesley, Safe@Wesley, Wesley Filipino Fellowship)
READ:
Psalm 38:1-22 (NIV)
OBSERVE:
David wrote this psalm of petition.
In v1 he asked the Lord …Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. Then v 2-8, crushed his heart and spirits, David knows because of his sins, he cannot stand in the face of God’s anger and wrath. He appealed to God to discipline him in love and forgive his sin and guilt.
In v9, he mentioned his longings. All my longings lie open before you, Lord;
my sighing is not hidden from you. Then in v10-14, he continues to express his sorrows. David has desires that he could not utter or express in words, but it is written in his heart and mind. All these longings God can see through.
In v15 he asks God. Lord, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God. Then in v16 – 20, he shared about his sins and enemies. David has rightly positioned himself to wait upon God in his challenging situation. Waiting is not easy especially in desperate situations, but it is the response that David has taken to wait upon God for His answers.
In v21-22 he asked God, Lord, do not forsake me; do not be far from me, my God.
22 Come quickly to help me, my Lord, and my Savior. David in waiting upon God seeks His nearness and presence in his life. He seeks deliverance from the God whom he trusts.
APPLY:
In my faith journey, discipline and rebuke is a necessary part of discipleship.
God is concerned with not just what I eat, do and how I use my time. He is concerned too of my longings that only He can see.
Waiting is not easy, but I must learn to trust and wait upon God.
The presence of God is enough to see me through in life.
DO:
I will not take for granted the kindness and loving rebuke and discipline of God as He continues to transform me into His likeness.
All my longings I surrender to God. May God remove the longings that are not in line with His will and have long more for His presence, for His word and for His Kingdom.
I will wait for God amidst difficult times and avoid being hasty and respond to God who waits for me lovingly and gently.
I will seek the presence of God daily.
PRAY:
Lord, I am grateful for your love that is gentle and kind even as You discipline me. Thank You that even my longings are known to You and lovingly remove those that are not pleasing to You. Thank You that You are teaching me to wait upon You even though You are there waiting for me. May I seek Your presence daily. In Christ’s name, Amen.
