DELIVERANCE FROM THE PIT

Read: Hebrews 13: 5,6

This poor man cried and the Lord heard him and delivered him from all his fears. Psalm 34:6 (RAV)

When I was still small enough to sit on my Daddy’s knee, I would love him to tell me the story about the old man who was walking along with his head in the air. He wasn’t looking where he was going, and suddenly, he had fallen into a big hole. And just as suddenly, my father opened his knees so that I fell between them. I shrieked with excitement, for I knew I was entirely safe, and that although he had appeared to let me fall I was still kept safe in his arms.

I was reminded of this the other day.  I felt as if I had fallen into a pit of depression. I used to suffer from depression, but over many years I have been learning to claim the Lord as my strength and my song. But here I was. A sudden attack from Giant Despair and I felt I was once again at the bottom of a pit. Then it was that my Father God gently reminded me of how my earthly father would never willingly have let me fall, though we had made a game of it; and even so, He had me safe in his keeping and I need not fear.

So God enabled me to call to him and once again he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.

Prayer: Father God; help us to trust you even in those times when we do not feel you near.

Thought for the Day: We know we can ask you to deliver us from evil. And we ask you to deliver us from all our fears too.

                                                                        Pauline Lewis (South Wales)

Prayer focus: those suffering from depression, that they may receive the right help

I have just had this thought for the day accepted to go in ‘The Upper Room,’ a devotional daily reading, but I thought maybe my Blog readers might appreciate it too. But, would you believe? This week I found myself in the pit once again. I remembered this lesson and knew God had firm hold of me, but I also knew God did not want me to stay in the pit. But   when I phoned a friend to ask her to pray with me, I found she was in the pit too. Had I made a mistake in turning to her? No, God had led me aright.

Together, we helped each other to talk through to the roots of our depression, and then, as we prayed for each other, we both heard God speak into our hearts showing us what action we needed to take in order to climb out of our pit.

So let’s make sure we do cry out to the Lord when we are feeling down, and listen to his answers too.

For me, I had been depressed because I was afraid the door of the school where I was hoping to teach Bible Explorer might not open, and until I had a day fixed for them, how could I make dates with the other schools?

With a nudge from the Holy Spirit, the next morning I phoned two of those other schools to book assemblies, where once again the doors swung wide in welcome.  I was not only out of the pit, but, in spirit, dancing on the mountains.

So may we all call out to the Lord and prove that He not only does hear but answers prayer and delivers us from all our fears.