#pslam118

I have been suicidal. More than once I found myself so sad that I wanted to give up. Each time it has been because I felt God has not provided family. I do not have family. I grew up without any siblings and my father died while I was still in high school. I have always wanted family. I have prayed for 30 years, on a daily basis, a prayer of petition to God, pleading for His mercy that He would allow me to get married and have family. Marrying and having family has been the greatest calling on my heart for as long as I can remember. I am now 42. I was finally engaged to love of my life and my fiance promised me that he would never leave me, then he left me. I am alone again. In the past I would have contemplated giving up and dying right now. There is almost no time left for God to provide me with a husband and family. There is still some time left and  I am not going to die. I believe in all powerful, living God that can overcome any situation.

I will not die but live,    and will proclaim what the Lord has done.

I was pushed back and about to fall,    but the Lord helped me. Have you ever felt like you were going backward? Sometimes in life events make us feel like we are pushed back into earlier times, or previous circumstances. Sometimes we need to go back and take care of unfinished business. Sometimes we can also feel pushed back by others, when people force themselves upon us and make us feel threatened as if we are about to fall. 

Life has many circumstances that seem to come against us.

The times we feel pushed, we must be able to ask if that push is against us, or helpful? 

Maybe we need a push. 

All the nations surrounded me,    but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.  They surrounded me on every side,    but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. They swarmed around me like bees,    but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;    in the name of the Lord I cut them down.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed? Have you ever felt that every direction you turn life seems broken, empty or useless? I can remember periods of trial in my life and when I do I recall a sequence of things. I remember losing my grandmother, then my father dying, then my mom getting cancer all within a two year period, during which I cannot recall happiness. I am a grateful person. I am content in the Lord but I am very sensitive to family and sickness and other trials that affect us all. There were other times when a boyfriend broke up with me, my car was damaged and I lost a job. More than once, for a long period I have felt surrounded on every side by opposition. It felt as though I was being punished. These types of trials return again and again and remind us of Job who lost everything. But Job overcame in the end. We do not know for sure but it is probable that David wrote Psalm 118. He was forced to flee several times, he was in battle even more times. He knew periods of great rest but also many periods of opposition and restlessness. The verses read, “in the name of the Lord I cut them down.” David cut down his opposition in God’s name, to honor God. John 14:14 teaches "You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” Why? So that we may honor God, that we ask for God to bless us according to His word and truth for His glory. Recognize your opposition and believe that you can overcome with God for the victory is His. 

In the name of Jesus Christ 

1 - ask God to destroy your opposition and 

2 - take action to cut down barriers, enemies, obstacles, sins Be active. Get up again everyday and cut down your trials on every side. God will help you in Christ to clear the way to walk with Him in peace. Pray for this, pray by the name of Jesus Christ that God cuts down, and helps you cut down, any opposition to His will. I am in a trial now, surrounded on every side by obstacles that seem insurmountable. I do not see any way out, on any way to peacefully being in the will of God that is in my heart. I am asking by the name of Jesus Christ everyday for God to bring me there AND I am walking toward it actively. I will cut down the barriers to God’s will for God’s glory.

THE LORD IS WITH ME In the Star Wars series the phrase is “may the force be with you.” In scripture the Lord IS with us. It is not a maybe. He is with us right now. We do not have an unknown magical force. We have the force of the living God. And we have already learned earlier in Psalm 118 that the force is GOOD and endures FOREVER. You could take another force, a lucky charm or good thought, but nothing compares to the Lord being with you with His goodness and love forever.

HE IS MY HELPER He is with you as a helper! We think sometimes we serve God which we can do by bringing God glory through sacrifice and right action for Him. But God is giving to US! He is helping US! He is with us, helping us, we need not fear.