“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).
Few lives have ever been spared from upsets. An upset is an event that happens to any life usually after seeking something in earnest only to meet failure or disaster. Upsets can be disorienting, and bring a terrible anguish. For don’t we all know of people who went for weeks feeling despondent after their favorite football team lost a game. But that is a game; there are those who lose out on getting a good job, a proposal turned down, a tender lost, and with one having spent all his energy, such is left crushed.
The Bible has some striking cases of dealing with upsets. After King David had been informed that his child with Bathsheba was to die for causing her husband’s death, he prayed as hard as he could- if only God would change His mind! So, “.. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground. The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them” ( 2 Samuel 12:16-17).
However, still, the child died. Upon realizing, “David’s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate” ( vv 18).
They were very mistaken. For David was a man of faith.Once he had determined the child had died, “David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped..” (vv 20).
David’s reaction to an upset can be related to that of Job too who, after he lost everything, once news had been relayed to him, rather than sink into a depression, he “got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (Job 1: 20-21).
Upsets will always happen to any life. But like David and Job it pays to handle both positively. Both were blessed mightly after for they had the right attitude, an unwavering trust and faith in a good God.
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, in all upsets of whatever nature I face, I turn to you and give you praise, for you remain God, and in trusting you I know that better days are ahead, this I pray in Jesus’s name.
Related upcoming events
-
17/05/2024 - 18/05/2024 All day“And I in righteousness I shall see your face; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with seeing your likeness” (Psalm 17:15)
One of the defining aspects we see in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ is that He began the day with prayer. “Very early in the morning while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35). As he was always surrounded by crowds and after such a busy day before of preaching and engaging the Pharisees in debates this must have been a therapeutic moment for Christ when he would have some good time to himself.
But there was also more. For Jesus being away in a secluded place would also mean a chance to pour out His heart to God, meditate in quietness, plan for the day ahead and listen to the Father. Jesus must have looked up to this moment every day knowing its benefits. Conversations with His Father must have been real and intimate, bringing a certain soothing and uplifting of His spirit. You do not wake up and stick to something on a daily basis that is a drag – this must have been his best time of the day!
Martin Luther the leader of the protestant reformation is reputed to once have said, “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” Here is the point. In the olden days before the arrival of locomotive transport those who were setting out for a long journey on foot had to start early with the first cock crow before the punishing sun came out. One of the things they had to start with also was a good meal, which was fuel needed to give them energy through the long walk to their destiny.
There are no rules about waking up to pray as first thing- or even saying prayer at a defined hour of the day. God is everywhere and ever with us. He is accessible at any time of the day. But there is something special about prioritizing our lives that the first thing we do is to talk to God. Just like the early traveller we need fuel, for the long day ahead!
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, what a joy and privilege to make time at the start of any day, talk and hear from you, for the power I need through the day, this I pray in Jesus’ name!
