“From the depths I call for help”

My grandson, Ryland, loves stories. He always asks before I start, “Is this a real story?” Recently, I told him a “real” one about my first near-drowning experience. I had jumped into the deep end of a pool as a young child and I remember my dad reaching through the water with his strong arm and pulling me to him.

“If You keep a record of our sins, who, O Lord can stand?”

This Psalm is a real story. Deep despair can produce a clarifying logic. The worshipper has stopped blaming anything else and has come to the point of acknowledging that the surrounding, suffocating chaos is actually his/her fault. If someone does not reach into this pit, that I have made, I am finished.  

“I am counting on You, Lord.”

Israel never had a navy because they were always terrified of the deeps. We have been living in deep darkness for months. Just as glimmers of openings produce tentative steps of hopefulness, releasing all my fears to God requires my soul to be entirely turned to Him.

“His redemption overflows.”

The confession of sins is based upon the rich mercy of God. His forgiving love takes on the weight of my sin. Once that grace grasps me, I can hope. Whatever comes, I know He is reaching in and pulling me, us, up.  

“I long for the dawn.” 
“O Israel, hope in the LORD.”

How can anyone know it is going to be okay? That “we will get over this” or that mourning will see a new morning? The faithful heart of God supports all hope. This redemptive mercy is as sure as the coming dawn. Once a person begins to live in the sin-covering grace, they are compelled to include others. “Israel hope in Yahweh.” The only true Rock is the God Who is unfailing love, Who reaches with redeeming hands into the pit with grace that is new every morning.

Prayer

Jesus, You are my Faithful Dawn. Lift me from all my darkness. I wait for You. Amen.