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

THEME OF THE DAY: WHERE DO WE GO? We are going to go someplace. We are going to make a decision where to run when we encounter the inevitable drowning circumstances in life, overwhelming situations in life, and too heavy-to-carry anxieties in life. And it is not like we have a ton of options. Only three places exist to take all the cares of life. Let’s look at the two wrong places first and then let the Psalmist from today’s scripture show us the proper place.

First, when life’s burdens are too much, when fear grips us so tightly we cannot sleep, and when anxiety weighs heavy on our hearts like a two-ton anchor tempting to drag us into depths of discouragement, even despair, don’t seek help within ourselves. We simply were not created to do life alone and especially the hard things in life. Start heading down the roads of “trust ourselves”, “rely upon ourselves”, and “seek help within ourselves” and we will encounter the sign “Dead End” because there is no help from within in this sin-cursed world.

A second place to avoid going when life is hard and overwhelming is the things and people in the world. No vacation is long enough; no change of job satisfying enough; no relocation good enough; no earthly recreation fulfilling enough; no fleshly pleasure sustaining enough, and no human relationship capable enough to settle our anxious and worrying hearts. God makes it clear nothing or no one in this world brings peace, rest, and strength to the human heart.

So, with the vain places to go in life’s storms identified, today’s scriptures takes us to the right and only place to go – the Lord. Not only does the Psalmist point to the only help for us, he models it. Notice where he is – crying out of the depths. The depths of what? The text doesn’t say which is good for it illustrates a whole plethora of depths the believer may plunge into; emotional, physical, and spiritual. And the Psalmist knows where to go and go he does. He unburdens his life and all its cares on to the Lord, relying on His Word and Person. This is the only safe and secure place to go. And as we go down that road, we will see the welcomed sign – “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

PRAYER: “Father, forgive me for the times I run to myself in worry and fear instead of running to You for peace and rest.”

QUOTE: “We will take our burdens, anxieties, and fears either to ourselves and no help or to the Lord and His help.”