Advent: “I am counting on the Lord”
Psalm 130:5-6
Through January 6, I’ll be posting devotionals with an Advent and Epiphany theme to focus our minds on the nativity of Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas!
“I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word. I long for the Lord more than sentries long for the dawn, yes, more than sentries long for the dawn.”
Psalms 130:5-6 NLT
Psalm 130 begins with a poignant cry for help from the psalmist, “From the depths of despair, O Lord, I call for your help. Hear my cry, O Lord. Pay attention to my prayer.” (Psalm 130:1-2 NLT) How any times have we, in the midst of great personal turmoil, pleaded the same way for God to not only help us, but also just to listen and act on our prayers?
I can think of many times in my life, even in my years of supposed disbelief, where I pleaded with God to listen to me and save me from some calamity I had gotten myself into. You know what? He always came through. Perhaps His help didn’t manifest itself in the way that I expected it, but my 20-20 hindsight shows me that he not only listened to my rather incompetent prayers, but acted on them as well and always to my benefit.
That all leads to this Psalm. When we come to acknowledge our Lord as our Savior, we know that we can count on Him. When we study His Word and etch it in our minds and hearts, we realize that He has provides infinite hope.
The last line of verse 7 describes a longing for the Lord by calling up the image of a lone sentry shivering and waiting in the cold dark for the sun to rise. In the middle of our despair, we wait for the Risen Son to bring light and warmth into our lives.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
My God of salvation, hope and compassion - each morning I look to You with praise and thanksgiving for renewing my spirits so I can spend another day of life in Your service. You direct my life as I walk with You in perfect trust and study your written Word. It is through the Word that you created all that exists. Thank You for giving me the faith, patience, and hope for the redemption to come, in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN.