The Devotional - 017 - Mourning into dancing

A Thought for the Day – 017 – Mourning into dancing

Psalm 30:1-3 – I will highly praise You O LORD, for You have lifted me up, and have not let my foes rejoice over me. O LORD my God, I cried out to You, and You have healed me. O LORD, You have brought my soul up from the grave. You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

 

Psalm 30:11-12 – You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth (of mourning) and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

 

Comments and challenges

Psalm 30: 4-5 – Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His Holy Name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night. But (a shout of) joy comes in the morning.

I should not like to say anything at this point; but to let the Psalm speak!

Psalm 30:6-9 – Now in my prosperity I said, “I shall not be moved.” LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong; (then) You hid your face and I was troubled. I cried out to You O LORD; and to the LORD I made supplication: “What profit is there in my blood (life); when I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your Truth?

Psalm 30:10 – “Hear, O LORD, and have mercy on me; LORD! Be my helper!”

In the world around us we have troubles; physical, spiritual and mental troubles all of which are threatening to life and we become fearful. We do all we can to avoid the dangers of life; but note if you will verse six of this Psalm – (Now in my prosperity I said, “I shall never be moved!”) and then the revelation that David had at the bottom of verse seven – (“You hid your face and I was troubled!”) as David we too in prosperous moments forget our savior and if you’ve been there you know it, even as the writer of Proverbs 30 states in verses 7 through 9.

King David was very open with his personal life, much more open than anyone I have ever met, maybe this is; in part, a reason why God could say of him that he was a man after God’s own heart? The ability to reveal the daily outworking of God in one’s life from beginning to end is not always a brag, as some might think. Were it not for men like King David we would not know the comfort of God in our trying moments of time. All of us have events in life that are the outwork of God; even if we are like most who believe that they control their own destiny.

I do not, just as you… understand how God does what He does in each of our lives; finite and infinite He is at work, He does all of this without seeking to gain our respect of Him but… when we see His work and when we observe His Mercy and acknowledge His grace He is glorified since we will cease to mourn, we will begin to dance and to this end we will give thanks to our God forever.

This is not always made public… many of us cannot make that public statement of Thanksgiving, but in standing at the “BEMA SEAT” we will begin a thanksgiving that will go on throughout eternity. Time is A TEMPORAL condition, ETERNITY is a forever condition. In time there are sicknesses, sufferings and mourning. We become tired and restless and we ALL fly away; but in eternity our strength will be renewed; we will give thanks to God forever.

“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the LORD, the righteous Judge, will give to men on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing”. 2 Timothy 4:6-8 (The apostle Pauls’ valedictory)

We often wish to write our own chapters in life, but really now it is the LORD who directs our steps! Proverbs 16:9