Admit We Are Powerless

Psalm 79:9-10 - Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name's sake.  Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Before our eyes, make known among the nations that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants.

It was a very sad time for Asaph and his friends. He was living in a time when God allowed the temple and city to be destroyed.  Instead of serving God in the temple…they were verbally abused …having to listen to the nations around him ask where is your God? So he cried out to God to show them…and deliver them from the taunts and mocking of these enemies that had caused them such sadness.

It was an honest prayer…he was tired of watching others make fun of God. He was displaced…with no purpose…and missed his job in the Temple.  He was stuck…with nothing to do but pray for God to fix it. He just wanted that season of life to be over. So he admitted that he did not deserve it…and called out to God to fix it to show the power and glory he knew he could show…just because.  

We have all been there…up to our necks in some mess…mostly from some of our own doing. Our hearts have withstood the troubles that were created as long as our human hearts could stand it. But there came a moment when we just knew…that we needed God to fix this one…and we broke and finally admitted we had no power to fix it ourselves.

When we take that first step…and humble ourselves…like it says in 2 Chronicles 7:14….and pray…God will begin to heal and restore. He gives us the strength to endure whatever else was planned to teach us to lean completely on him…and he opens our eyes to the path we need to take out of the mess.  It usually isn’t accompanied by any visible glory…just a sweet peace that surpasses the turmoil we had felt just moments before.

Father…thank you for the reminder that I need to lean completely on you.  I thank you for all the times you have shown your glory to me and given me a peace about something hard to do…and the strength that came from knowing you are always walking beside me. Help me to keep my eyes wide open...and watch for the next step you need me to take. Amen.