Day 6: Love, goodness, and mercy
They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away (Psalm 107:26).
Sovereign Lord, Almighty God, when You calmed a sudden tempest the disciples marveled, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey Him!" (Matthew 8:27).
They would eventually get to know You as fully man, and fully God— man who walked with them, yet God who had set the heavens in place, [who] marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, [who] established the clouds above and fixed securely the foundations of the deep, [who] gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep His command (Proverbs 8:27-29).
But they would not have grasped Your power over the wind and the waves had they not seen Your wonderful deeds in the deep (Psalm 107:24). The same was true for Your ancient people. Only with an army at their back and the vast sea before them were they able to stand firm and see the deliverance [of] the Lord (Exodus 14:13).
They would later look back and recall Was it not You who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made a road in the depths of the sea so that the redeemed might cross over? (Isaiah 51:10).
Lord, our God, may we too, recall Your power, Your might, and Your faithfulness as we face life's storms and tempests— when our frail vessels are lifted high on the waves— mounting up to the heavens, then plunging down to the depths. Hear us, when in our peril our courage melts away, when we find ourselves at at our wits end— storm-tossed, reeling and staggering like drunkards (Psalm 104:25-27)
We pray for those who even now are crying out to You in their distress. For those battling sickness and disease, loss, hopeless challenges, overwhelming circumstances, various crises... Help us to discover that Your love, goodness, and mercy follow us everywhere, even into the depths.
Hold us firm and secure, until You still the storm to a whisper, hush the waves of the sea, restore calm, and guide us to our desired haven. And even in the midst of the storm, teach us to thank You for Your unfailing love and Your wonderful deeds for mankind (Psalm 107:29-31).
Comments