Psalm 116:1-4, 12-13 (NIV) (NRSV)
Devotion
In Psalm 116 the Psalmist expounds his love for the Lord, because the Lord had heard his cry from the depths of his despair. He said, "The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow." (v.3)
Helmut Thielicke, in his book, Out of the Depths, tells of his experiences in Germany during World War II. Ministering to a people surrounded by the horrors of war, he said, "The afflictions of your life and mine are the hollow ground under our feet which gives way because God wills to catch us."
It is in the "catching" that we experience God's love and we can say with the Psalmist, "I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my supplications ... therefore, I will call on him as long as I live." (v.1-2)
Prayer
Gracious God, you have been "catching" us from the days of our birth as we often walk the hollow grounds of this earth. We live and walk in the confidence of your love. Thank you! Amen