TWo-minute read.
“Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. When my prayers returned to me unanswered,”
Psalm 35:13
Unreliable friends.
David discovers the people whom he fasted and prayed for betrayed him. They expressed anger towards the king, using false witnesses to accuse and slander him. Seeking God’s justice, David feels far from the Lord. Why doesn’t God do something about this situation, the Psalmist pleads. Waiting desperately for God’s mercy, David will proclaim the Lord’s mighty works once God shows him mercy.
Praying for those who don’t appreciate it hurts. No one likes false tales about them, yet people do it daily. Thinking they know the whole story, people fill in the blanks with lies, as they did with David. Not feeling God’s immediate assistance, David pleads desperately for the Lord to intervene.
“Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him.” Hebrews 5:8-9 NLT
A man after God’s heart, David remained obedient amid his struggles, fasting and praying for the Lord’s intervention. Jesus learned obedience from His sufferings, and so do we. Trusting God during the raging storms of life and persevering on the right path when our human tendencies war against us develops obedience. We find victory as we take one step at a time, faithfully obeying the Lord’s commands.
Everyone falls short of the mark. Sometimes, people call me an unreliable friend because I didn’t meet their expectations. We live for the expectations of the Lord, not others. Only Jesus lived a perfect life; no one else did. If we did everything right, we wouldn’t need a Savior. But we need Jesus because human nature sometimes gets the best of us. And so we seek God for help, confessing our sins and asking for His divine intervention.
When the Lord moves, He moves. Whatever struggles we have, God helps us overcome, one way or another. But until then, we must stay the course. Fasting and prayer help strengthen us, drawing us closer to God and tapping into His divine power. Don’t give up hope; God will deliver you from the storm in His time and way.
Journal Questions:
- How can I apply today’s devotion to my life?
- What steps of obedience do I need to take today?
- How can I persevere with fasting and prayer?
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for helping us persevere when falsely accused. Strengthen us for the journey, calm our anxious hearts in the storm, and allow us to find Your peace that surpasses all understanding. As we accept the things we cannot change and change the things we can, let us honor You in all we do. IJNIP. Amen
