I aim to grow a group of like minded people through Video Games but, also aren’t shy of sharing and discussing our opinions with out being cancelled.
PSALM 88
When God Seems Far Away
MIKE BULLMORE
PSALM 88 IS SURELY the darkest of all the Psalms. Almost every other psalm ends with, or at least includes, some note of hope or praise. Not this one.
There appears to be no relief.
We all experience this at times. Even though, as men, we want to be perceived as strong, we are privately aware of our weakness and frailty.
Any deep disappointment or loss, any deep hurt, any prolonged sickness, any betrayal--really, any number of things- can make us feel what this psalmist, Heman, was feeling- lack of strength (Ps. 88:4), helplessness
(v. 15), even despair (vv. 5-6). The fact is, being in a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ does not mean that we will escape deep discouragement and even darkness. We will experience hard things, sometimes in waves, and sometimes for prolonged seasons. God has promised that we won't walk through those times alone, but he also hasn't promised that we won't at times feel alone.
So it's a good thing that God has lovingly included this psalm in his word. Otherwise we'd be left to wonder if God's sovereign love extended all the way to even our darkest experiences.
But Psalm 88 doesn't just describe a common human experience; it also provides a "prompt" on what to do during such an experience. Three times the psalmist tells us that he "cries out to God" (see v. 1, 9, 13). That repetition provides a bit of structure to the psalm, but far more importantly it tells us what this psalm is and what it's here for.
Psalm 88 is a turning to God in the darkness, and it calls us to do the same. Psalm 88 is a telling to God of the darkness, and it calls us to do the same. And Psalm 88 is a trusting of God despite the darkness, and it calls us to do the same.
Right at the beginning of this psalm the writer declares, "O LORD, God of my salvation .. " Isn't that a striking statement, given the darkness of this psalm? Yet this is where Heman has put his hope. This is where there is a stake deep down into solid rock, and he has anchored himself to that stake.
Let's not miss that this psalm is a prayer. God does not belittle the prayer of the deeply discouraged or even despairing man. He wants us to remember that there is both safety and salvation in coming to him.
(Text From: ‘Daily Strength: A Devotional for Men’ published by Crossway)
This is Titan and Nova, They’re Australian Shepherds.
Also this is what my feet have been dealing with most of the stream.. 👀
I’ll be it slightly crippled as I’m waiting on the GPU to show up but, it’s progress! ☺️
Gotta figure out the right settings on in the UEFI then stall an OS & we’ll be off to streaming shortly after that! 💪
