Songs of the Soul: A Lent DevotionalSample

David calls out to the Lord while in the “depths”. What are the depths of life? I think of the middle of an ocean — a place where the water’s depth goes down until one can’t see the sun and stretches wide enough that the shore can’t be seen. The depths of our life can be those moments where we feel like we’re stranded in the middle of an ocean. We are far from our comfort zones, feeling lonely and lost. Our life’s circumstances and emotions might be waves crashing into us, threatening to drown us.

When have you been in the depths? What were those moments that you felt so far away from God and from the good things of the world? We have all experienced a time or season like that. You may even be in the depths right now. If we follow God faithfully, He will sometimes lead us into difficult and confusing circumstances. But don’t let your emotions confuse you; you aren’t alone or helpless in these depths.

David’s response to being in the depths wasn’t to complain about his circumstances or to try to figure his way out of the situation. Instead, he called out for help, and not just to anyone, but to our Loving and Merciful Lord! David understood that he would drown if he stood by his own strength — in the same way, we are helpless and hopeless without God. But praise God that we aren’t without Him!

During the Lent season, we intentionally remember our depravity apart from God, that the depths will overwhelm us if we try to navigate them in our own way. However, we don’t stop there — we then celebrate how far God has lifted us up from the depths in the past! We are so undeserving of the Salvation that God offers to us through Christ. Yet God offers us an abundant New Life of Hope. David reminds us to hold steadfastly onto this Hope, for our Redemption is only found in Christ. May we navigate our lives in the depths with a remembrance of the Eternal Hope and the Ever Loving God we have.

Danielle Guerrero
Outreach

Prayer:
Thank You, Lord, for listening to my cries from the depths. Thank You for Hope and Redemption in Jesus Christ.