Sunday, June 18, 2017

Posted on Jun 17, 2017 in Devotions |

 
 
 
Devotional for Sunday, June 18, 2017
 

“Praise Him For the Help Of His Countenance”

 
 
 
He upholds
 
 
by Dona Hake
 
God desires that we stay in His presence, and speak with Him about anything that concerns or is bothering us.    In our time of trouble if  we neglect communing with our Lord  our soul will be burdened down.  Today I am sharing a scripture with you that David wrote during a time in which his soul was burdened and disquieted.   Let’s read and meditate upon how he took his burden to the Lord.
 
 

Psalm 42:5

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and

why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for

I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

 
I picture in my mind David writing the Psalms in the quietness of the night while his eyes were diligently watching over his flock of sheep. I am sure that his days were long days, and some were more challenging than others. There are a handful of Psalms where David used the term “cast down”.   This is a term used for a sheep that had turned over on it’s back and could not get up again. Sheep have a way of getting themselves in trouble, and they can be helpless as well. A good shepherd seeks to understand every aspect of the care of his sheep, and today we are looking at how our Good Shepherd seeks to lovingly care, protect, and lift us up when our souls are down.
 

 

I want to make emphasis on the fact that when a sheep is cast down it cannot get up again by itself.      A cast sheep is a sad sight.    It lays on its back, and as its feet are in the air, it struggles frantically to get back up again.   Sometimes it will make little bleating cries for help and just lays there frustrated. If the shepherd does not arrive on time, the sheep will die. Since a sheep that is cast is in such a helpless state, it is also vulnerable to attack by predators.  We can certainly see the parallel here as to how we too are more vulnerable for the attack of the devil in our lives when we are weakened spiritually.   Remember…the devil seeks whom he may devour.     Praise the Lord for He is our good Shepherd and He is the One that upholds us and strengthens our soul.  Let us  praise Him for the help of His countenance.

 
 
 
Psalm 37:24 Amplified Bible
 

“Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down,

for the Lord grasps his hand in support and upholds him.”