Reading With the People of God - #5 We Believe.Sample

Memorization Challenge of the Month:

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Reading with the People of God Primer:

In Times of Suffering:

The Psalm we will be reading today is Psalm 143. This Psalm has been important in my life during times of suffering and confusion. We don’t know much about David's experience that led him to write this particular Psalm. Unlike certain Psalms, like Psalm 51, we are not told what part of his life he was in when he wrote it. My life, and I’m guessing your life, isn’t much like King David’s, and yet we can all, to some degree or another, understand the experience of suffering along with the pain and confusion it brings. This Psalm, in particular, can help in times of suffering because it provides a healthy way to handle it without turning to cheap platitudes that fail to console.

The first thing David does in this Psalm is to be real with God about his suffering, confusion, and dismay. You don’t need to pretend not to be well when you’re not, “look on the bright side,” save face, or pretend to be happy because “everything happens for a reason.” You can be real with God.

The next thing David does is slightly surprising but apt for the occasion. He repents and asks for God’s mercy. I don’t know what he is repenting of specifically, but I think it is instructive for all of us because I don’t think many of us get less selfish during times of suffering.

After this, David recalls God's works and faithfulness in the past, not only in his life but also in Israel's history. It is natural for those suffering to become tunnel-visioned and to forget the good of the past in light of the disarray of the present. Remembering God's work both in one's own life and in the Communion of Saints can be a real help in times of distress.

This remembering gave David the confidence he needed by the end of the Psalm to express trust in God, ask for his wisdom, and confirm his allegiance as his servant. At the end of the Psalm, nothing is truly resolved; David is still in distress and needs God’s help. In times of suffering, help often doesn’t come immediately; nonetheless, I have found that praying this way can provide some relief. In summary:

1. Be Real with God

2. Repent of Sin

3. Remember the works of God in the past

4. Express Trust

5. Ask for Wisdom

6. Confirm your allegiance to King Jesus

If you find yourself in a place of suffering today, I encourage you to read this Psalm a few times and try praying in this way.

- Wesley Viau, Healthcare Data Analyst and a member at Cornerstone Community Church, Chowchilla.