My Earthly Perspective

9.20.2010

Psalm 130:1-2 1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! 2 O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! ESV

Much of life depends not on our circumstances but on our perspective of our circumstances. It’s not what happens that matters most but how we respond to what happens that matters.

In this psalm – a song of ascent the writer had the right perspective – out of the depths I cry to You O Lord! I don’t cry to you from the heights; I don’t cry to you from the good times – no, I cry to You out of the depths of despair, out of the depths of ignorance; out of the depths of pain. Our lives are filled with toil and trouble but with a correct perspective we see all the toil and trouble as intended for our good.

Pain is one of our great universal motivators. Pain sharpens our senses and causes us to look up and look out for relief. Nothing else seems to work quite like pain. And usually we find pain in the depths, not on the mountaintop (…even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…).

A proper perspective of my whereabouts is invaluable in my relationship with the Lord and this side of heaven, with its fleeting and momentary happiness, is the depth of training and proving that I may one day enjoy the happiness of the heights of heaven. The depths are the proving ground of faith.

Father in Heaven,

Out of the depths I cry to You! Hear my voice and let Your ears be attentive to my pleas for mercy. Lord, grant that I have the strength to endure to gain the prize of all that is pure. And may my earthly perspective be always that of eternity – in Jesus’ Name, amen.