Every time you read through the Psalms, you find something different. A word pricks your heart in a way it hasn’t before. A phrase reaches into the depths of your soul and speaks to the very situation you’re in. An illustration takes hold of your mind and suddenly becomes clear. Such was the case with me over the weekend as I was reading through the Psalms, seeking comfort from my Almighty Father.
Psalm 18:16 – “He drew me out of many waters.”
How many times have I read this phrase? I don’t know. I had plenty of other verses in Psalm 18 marked in my Bible, so I know I’ve spent time there before. Yet Saturday, this phrase kept playing over and over in my mind, because it was exactly how I felt in that moment. As I sat down with my Bible, praying that God would open my heart and show me comfort through His word, I felt in the depth of many waters. I felt bogged down with life and circumstance and grief and disappointment and frustration. I felt life whirling away, out of control, leaving me behind in a messy, disheveled heap. And then, I read these words.
He drew me out of many waters.
One of the many beautiful things about our God is that He rescues us. Meditate on that word for a moment: rescues. It isn’t that our Lord is there to shield us from the bad or to arrive just in the nick of time and keep us from unsavory life experiences. It’s that our God rescues us. When the bad comes (and it will when you live in a fallen, sinful world), God rescues. He pulls you from the depth of many waters. He keeps you from drowning. He calms the sea with His commanding breath and saves you.
I don’t know about you, but I need rescuing a LOT. Sometimes, by my own doing, I create horrible messes that I need rescued from. Other times, the fallible people around me create messes that I fall into. Either way, my God is there to rescue me from the pounding, powerful waters that have encompassed me. He brings me out of my mess. He restores my salvation by His bountiful grace. He renews my life and makes it beautiful again; even though I broke it, He mends.
Sometimes, you may feel in a mess. You may feel down trodden or depressed or simply in a funk. But the Lord is there. He is near to those who are hurting (Psalm 34:18). He comforts those who grieve over their sin (Matthew 5:4). He pulls us from our moments of failure; He rescues when we feel like we’re drowning in life. So whatever you feel right now, turn to the Lord. Don’t turn to self-help books. Don’t turn to a good article that cheers you up. Go directly to the source. Fill your heart with God’s words, and allow His comfort to strengthen you. Allow Him to rescue you.
