2How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand?
3Turn and answer me, O Lord my God! Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.
4Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!” Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.
5But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
6I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me. (Psalm 13 NLT)
We have all been to the place of spiritual torture that the psalmist brings to life in verses 1 through 4. I believe that all humans do. It is our great joy as followers of Christ that, by the Grace of God made possible by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are able – in our most quiet and uncertain moments – say, “But I trust in your unfailing love” sweet Jesus. You have rescued me Jesus. You have saved me. I trust only in you and upon the rock of my salvation I will live my life with joy and thanksgiving. You are good to me God – You are more than I deserve. Salvation is more than I deserve – and so I will sing of my redeemer every day.
These are not just Christian platitudes that we banter back and forth to each other to cover up our insecurities and lack of true caring - They are Christian Truths upon which we stand when the god of this world, Satan, has does his worst to us. All around us we see men, women, and children turning further away from the reality of our Redeemer and closer to sin, destruction, and death. We watch as people we know and people we don't know delve deeper in sin; kill one another; kill themselves; and destroy the very creations of the Most High. There is no Truth in their lives; there is not the bedrock of salvation, nor the steady faith in anything, or any one, bigger than themselves; there is no love, for God IS Love. They do not know of the sacrifice God has made to draw them into relationship with Him. Indeed, when life comes crashing down, they cannot say, as the Psalmist says, "But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because God is good to me."
I praise God every day, especially in the middle of every storm, that I can. Do You?