A Closer Walk
Sometimes our God wants us to wait. But we don't like that. We want life to be like a drive through. We don't like to wait. But sometimes we must. "I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay; And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. And He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear, and will trust in the Lord," Psalm 40:1-3 NASB.
This Psalm like many others was penned by David, the shepherd boy that grew up to be King of ancient Israel. Although David sinned on occasion his heart was devoted to the Lord. So much so that God Himself refers to David as a man after God's own heart. David says that he waited patiently for the Lord. He was rewarded for his patience by God inclining to him and hearing his cry. A sister in Christ once remarked that in her experience it seemed that God rewards patience. A reminder for us that our God is an Eternal God with an eternal perspective. It makes sense that the closer we get to this Eternal God the more we will have an eternal perspective in our own lives. And maybe the less we will see life as a drive through.
Accepting the wisdom that life is not meant to provide us with instant gratification may enable us to wait patiently for the Lord as He does His work behind the scenes, changing hearts and changing lives. As mere human beings we can't possibly know everything that our God is doing, where He is doing it, and who He is doing it with. Heck, we may not even know everything He is doing in our own lives. For example, have you ever had something come into your life that you did not expect to happen? Some might say, “Yes, almost daily.” Others might say, “Well, on occasion.” Regardless, all of us have likely had events or happenings arrive unexpectedly. Another example, did anyone make plans and provisions for a pandemic?
Because the Psalmist waited patiently for the Lord not only did the Lord incline to him and hear his cry, but the Lord brought him up out of the pit of destruction and out of the miry clay. Miry clay would be somewhat similar to quicksand. Easy to get into, but hard to get out of. A pit of destruction would be a situation or circumstance where we are in danger of harm or ruin; and we cannot in our own power remove ourselves from that situation. But our God can. He can help us out of, or through whatever we find ourselves in. Even if it is something we brought about ourselves through disobedience, lack of diligence, ignorance, or our own stupidity. Why would our Lord help us? Because our God is “...a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity,” Jonah 4:2 NASB.
After bringing David out of the pit of destruction and the miry clay, God set his feet on a rock which made his footsteps firm. Said another way, the Lord saved David from the situation or circumstance where he was bogged down and in danger of harm or ruin. Then God set David's feet on firm stable ground. The dictionary defines stable as, “not likely to fall, give way, or overturn; able or likely to continue or last; enduring or permanent.” Because God placed David's feet on the rock his footsteps were firm. If we place our own feet and footsteps on the Rock of our Salvation we also will have firm and stable ground to walk on.
At the end of all these things God put a new song in David's mouth. A song of praise to our God. Our Lord is like that. After bringing us through a tough situation we often desire to sing praises to our God for His deliverance. And then, because nothing is wasted in the Kingdom of God, our Lord will use that situation to bring us closer to Him, to guide us in the way we should go, and for His own honor and glory. David also says that God will use him as a testimony to what He has done, “Many will see and fear, and will trust in the Lord.” People who see and hear David's testimony will fear God and be more able to trust in Him.
“Great things he has taught us, great things He hath done, and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son; but purer, and higher, and greater will be our wonder, our transport when Jesus we see. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, Let the earth hear His voice! Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, Let the people rejoice! O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son, And give Him the glory, great things He hath done.” Fanny J. Crosby, 1820-1915, writer of over 8000 hymns.