Songs of the Soul: A Lent DevotionalSample

Have you ever looked up at the sky and wondered where Father God dwells? Or which cloud looks like the Royal Armchair He should be sitting on? Of course, Father God is not hiding in the skies waiting for us to find Him, but the psalmist is highlighting the importance of WHO to look for, and WHERE to look, during afflictions. Do we look for affirmation from the surroundings of our world? Or do we look to ourselves to dig up courage to face challenges? As the psalmist demonstrated in this Song of Ascents, seeking Him who is Higher than all wisdom is the ultimate goal. But HOW to look is also important.

Humble servants dare not raise their gaze to look at their masters and patiently wait with eagerness for their master’s instructions; a very practical illustration for us in the modern days, to reflect how faithful we are right now, waiting for His instruction for the next steps in our lives. Have we sometimes gone before the Holy Spirit in taking charge of our own destiny and forgotten who is really in charge? If so, allow this Lent season to be a time of repentance.

As I was writing this devotion, my 95-year-old grandma had experienced a couple of falls at her elderly home due to a lack of care, which led to the deterioration of her health. It was very easy for my family and me to quickly go into despair or scramble to find ways to heal my grandma’s situation, hoping to extend her lifespan. But the psalmist reminds us to remember WHO to look to first — our Father who loves my grandma more than anyone; WHERE to look to — our King who is Higher than all things, even life and death; and HOW to look — fully submissive to His Timing and Plans for my grandma and family. It is not easy to bear the “scorns of those who are at ease” in this situation, but it should not hold us back from pleading for the Lord’s Mercy.

Similarly, Jesus had set for us an example that even unto death, He is seeking on behalf of “the proud” for mercy from the Father. May this Lent be a season for us to model that.

Kevin Iu
Hope of the City

Prayer:
Father, I repent for my unbelief that You are the Master of my life. But instead, on many occasions, I chose to trust my own life plans and discerned how my life should look with my own understanding. Help me to always consult You and rely on You.