A NEW SONG

Let's start with a joke...

           What happens when you play a country music song backwards?  Well, you get your wife back...you get your truck back and...you get your dog back.

            Hey!  Is that what we really want or need?  Maybe, we ought to have a new song altogether!  Let's not wait 'til things get really bad and we're singing the blues before we ask God for help.

             No need to wonder if turning to God in times of trouble is treating Him like a rainy day friend.  Don't worry whether it's unfair to use God this way.

            Because perhaps difficult times are God’s speed bumps, intentionally placed in our lives to draw us back to Him.  God is always faithful, and He's never the One to leave us.  He knows it might just require sinking into a slimy pit of mud and mire, before we cry out to Him.
 

            God hears our cry and places our feet on a rock to give us a firm place to stand.  Then He puts a new song in our mouth, a hymn of praise!

            With this new song, "Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in Him."  We become His witnesses, building the Kingdom of God!  Our sufferings lead us to God and our praises lead OTHERS to Him.

           This song is based on the rhythm of a Christian life;  A repeated pattern of suffering followed by God hearing our cries for help. God restores us and we praise Him.

            We are not fickle to turn to God when we need Him most.  It gives us a reason to sing His praises and draw others in to join His chorus.

  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.
  He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him.

Psalm 40

Prayer is Laughing - OUT LOUD

Psalm 40:1-3 (NIV) 

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. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.    

You may be wondering why the title this week of Prayer is Laughing.  I had the same question as I read through many of the verses selected, some of which are light, but others that aren't.  The verses speak of trusting God, of Him fighting with and for us, of enemies waiting to devour us.

Chapter 39 opens with, "I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth as long as the wicked are in my presence."  While the image of a muzzle on my mouth is humorous I am not laughing.

Turn to Chapter 40 and read, 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. I was grinning at this one because I written a note in the margin next to the word mire, the surname, Meyer.  That is my maiden name and I know it is family issues that that caused the pain we experienced--sometimes dragging that pain into adulthood.  There is a funny story about the word, mud, but that is for another devotion.

Chapter 41 addresses God sustaining us on our sickbed.  This Psalm also tells of our enemies whispering against us; vile disease, even close friends deserting us.  So, why should we be laughing?  It suddenly became very clear.  God is faithful.  When we face insurmountable life situations, God is bigger than all of them.  When doubting tomorrow's value, God is encouraging us to stay in the moment.  Tomorrow has enough worries of it's own, stay in today.

As Christians we can smile in the face of adversity.  As Children of God we can belly-laugh at today's troubles. Because we are saved by the Blood of the Lamb, there is no more reason for tears or fears. So, come on, through back you head and laugh out loud.  God is Faithful. God is good...ALL THE TIME.


Psalm 39, 40 and 41