How Not to Cave In
Today’s Verse:
I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. ~Psalm 142:4
Recently, the attention of the world was centered on several boys of a soccer team and their coach, who were trapped in an underground cave. There were many anxious moments for them and the many people who worked together for their rescue. Thankfully, all of the boys and their coach made it safely out. Being trapped in a dark cave can be a frightening experience. Ps. 142 was written by David when he was in the cave of Adullam. This psalm depicts a low point in his life. It is his testimony of a very dark place that he was in. This morning, we are exhorted on how not to cave in when you are going through a cave experience.
We see the horror.
“I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me. I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.” David was living in fear, anxiety, and great horror. There were moments when he felt hopeless. He describes being in the cave as being overwhelmed. He did not feel safe in that cave. He said that refuge failed him. He summed up his thoughts as, “No man cared for my soul.” What an awful place to come to that you would say that no one cared for your soul! Are you at a place that you dread, and want desperately to get out of?
We see the heart cry.
“I cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication. I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.” David said, “I cried,” “I poured out,” and “I showed before him.” David poured all of his heart out to the Lord. He saw his experience as a prison and cried to the Lord for mercy and deliverance. Whenever God allows us to come to a place in life where all that matters is Him, we fully realize how much we must cast ourselves upon Him. Make every prayer time a time when you pour out your heart to the Lord. Put all of your heart into your praying. Pray as if you are in a trial, or God might send you a trial to teach you how to pray.
We see the humility.
“Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.” God was preparing David to one day assume the throne as king. The reigning king, Saul, started in humility but became extremely proud. David was learning that being a king did not exempt him from being humble. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.” Humility must be voluntary if we want to be victorious. God helped David learn the value of humility in his relationship with the Lord.
We see the hope.
“Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.” David prayed for deliverance so that he could live and do God’s will. He had strong faith in God delivering him. First, he had faith in being delivered so that God would be praised. Second, he had faith in the fellowship of righteous men who would protect him. Last, he had faith that God would deal with him in this circumstance. Through it all, David had great hope in the Lord’s remembrance, resources, and redemption.
David was in the cave, but David did not cave in! The cave experience is cold, dark, lonely, and troubling. Let God bring you forth and care for you. Don’t cave in!
Have an encouraged God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Jeremiah 7-9