We often think of God as ‘up there somewhere’ so we lift our eyes to the hills
(Psalm 121: 1). But when David wrote of those hills, he had already spent a good deal of time hiding in them from a king who wanted him dead. He had hidden amongst the rocks of those hills and God protected him. God was with him in the wilderness of that place for many years and eventually brought him out to rule as King over Israel.
David was looking at those hills remembering. God had not been ‘up there somewhere’, through his struggles, he had been with him where he was, in the fear and the hardship and the weakness. God met him in the mess.
I was thinking about this after a vision had been given for someone who was struggling with an addiction. The vision was so specific to that individual but the person who had had the vision did not know any details about their life and had only just met them. The details pointed to them and them alone and the vision was one of restoration.
God met that person where they were, in the mess of their life, and let them know He was there and had a plan to turn their life around. Out of the 7 billion people on the planet, God had a message for that one person in particular. God SAW them. God acknowledged their struggle. God showed His mercy and grace.
We sometimes get stuck in the mind set that we have to earn God’s grace and mercy but He often meets us at our worst and THEN shows us a better way. Look at Paul.
Several hours had passed when my best friends were let into my flat by neighbours. They called an ambulance and I was taken to hospital and given medication to neutralise the effects of the painkillers.
What’s miraculous is, my work supervisor tried to get hold of my daughter when I didn’t show up for work but she wasn’t answering so she went on my daughter’s Facebook page and recognised one of her listed friends as my best friend. She had only seen pictures of me and my best friend together on Facebook and never actually met her. She contacted my best friend via Facebook and it was only by chance that my friend had her Facebook active on her phone as it usually isn’t. Of course my best friend was worried and rang me. When I didn’t pick up after several attempts, she asked for time off work and met her husband to drive to mine.
When I came round in hospital the next day, I knew I had made a mistake and I had to change. I really sought God and over time was lifted up from the miry clay (Psalm 40: 2) through prayer and spending time with Him and his people, but it was while I was still in the miry clay that he met me.
I had done nothing to earn His grace and mercy, in fact quite the opposite, but He met me nonetheless.
We often lift our eyes to God, but He also comes down into the pit of despair (Psalm 40:2) to be with us. Even if we make our bed in the depths (Psalm 139:8), He is there. He meets us where we are, in the mess of our lives and lifts us up to set our feet on solid rock, making our future footsteps firm (psalm 40:2)
It doesn’t matter where you are on your journey, what mistakes you have made, how many times you’ve made them, God is there. Call on Him and He’ll meet you in the mess.
-Lara