by Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion- psalm 103:4
This verse forms part of one of my favourite scriptures found in psalms 103:1-6. It sits ensconced between a great salvation and healing and is followed by great blessings and restoration. I have long held a fascination for patterns and sequences and so found myself wondering why the psalmist would need to be rescued from a pit, when he had earlier witnessed God’s great salvation and healing. Was it purposeful or was it just for the sake of poetic flow in the original language? I confess that I do not really know how the original Hebrew text read but the thought stayed with me for a while.
Then recently, I believe the Holy Spirit led me to reflect on my own life. In certain areas of my life, I have experienced periods where indeed it seemed as if I was in a pit with no way out. No matter how much I cried for help, only silence and darkness met me. Some of these times didn’t last very long while others wore on interminably. One thing though — when I finally came out of these episodes, I had a greater understanding and appreciation of God’s love for me and others in a way that I would not have had, had I not gone through the experiences. It was in these times that I felt God’s love and in so doing, He expanded my heart a little more to see and love others as He does.
One particular experience stands out for me because it had a far reaching impact on my life. After leaving my first job from campus I became suicidal because I thought I was a failure. The circumstances that led to my resignation weren’t pretty. I wore myself down thinking how I could have handled it better. I had always believed I was strong girl who could not be rattled easily. For the first time in my life, I was. I didn’t know how to deal with it. Previously, I had a very dim view of people who took their own lives. I could not understand how someone could reach a place where they were so hopeless that they contemplated death as the only way out. Here I was, toying with the very idea.
I thank God, He rescued me. I dealt with the ramifications of that time for over a decade. Most immediately, I came out of that dark patch with a keener understanding of the depths to which human hopelessness can go. When He rescued me from the pit, God expanded my heart to love and pray for those who are in deep distress. In my weakest hour, I saw the darkness that most see, and thankfully like the psalmist when I cried out, He lifted me out of the depths, He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire and set my feet on a rock. Then He crowned me with love and compassion.
Peter too assumed that he was on solid ground. He was sure of his love and loyalty to the Lord. He was ready to die without wincing. When the hour of darkness descended, three little denials sent him spiraling further into the pit. One other, Judas, on realizing that his betrayal cost the life of an innocent man, took his own. Peter was probably still reeling from the acute shame of his previous actions when Jesus called him aside one morning as they were having breakfast at the shores. Three times the Lord asked Peter if he loved Him as He gave him instructions. The first two times, Peter answered confidently but when Jesus asked him the same question a third time, his countenance fell. Perhaps he was thinking about how he had blown it up on the night of Jesus’ arrest. Maybe he was getting prepared for an inevitable ouster from the group. Jesus instead reinstated him and gave him a mission.
This episode must have informed part of his encouragement to the elders and the flock in the church on suffering-‘And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.’ He was not just saying it, he had lived it personally and seen God’s restorative work.
So whether you find yourself in a pit of your own digging or like Job, for God’s own divine purpose, remember that ‘in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.’ Indeed ‘Praise be to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.’
May you abound in the comfort that the God of compassion provides when He has rescued you from the pit!
(Psalm 103:4, John 21:15-17, Romans 8:28, 2 Corinthians 1:3-5)
