BIBLE READING: Psalm 61:1-8
We made a decision to turn our wills and our lives over to the care of God.
Psalms 61 1 O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! 2 From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help
when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, 3 for you are my safe refuge,
a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. 4 Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings! 5 For you have heard my vows, O God. You have given me an inheritance reserved for those who fear your name. 6 Add many years to the life of the king! May his years span the generations! 7 May he reign under God’s protection forever. May your unfailing love and faithfulness watch over him. 8 Then I will sing praises to your name forever as I fulfill my vows each day.
The thought of turning our wills and our lives over can be attractive. When we give in to our dependencies and compulsions, aren’t we giving control over to another power? Aren’t we in some way giving up personal responsibility for our lives? When we are overwhelmed and want to escape, our addictions can make us feel strong, safe, attractive, powerful, happy. So, in a sense, we are very comfortable with the thought of giving up control of our wills and our lives.
We can take steps to change our focus and turn our lives over to God instead of reverting to the hiding places of the past. The apostle Paul touched on this contrast when he said, “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). When we are overwhelmed and in need of some kind of escape, we have a new place to turn. King David declared, “The LORD is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O LORD, do not abandon those who search for you” (Psalm 9:9-10). David also wrote, “From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me” (Psalm 61:2-3).