Spared

"O LORD, You have brought me up from the grave;

You have spared me from going down into the pit."

~ Psalm 30:3 ~

Sometimes I catch myself in an all-out fit. You may not know it if you looked at me, but if you saw inside my soul, you would witness a full-fledged battle. Whether I'm struggling with a comment that was made, a relationship that is strained, a sin that has been forgiven, or the stresses of the day-to-day, if I allow that battle to get the best of me, then I might as well call it a day because I am as good as gone. Just go ahead and prop yourself at the edge of the cliff and give me a good ol' wave as you look down into that big pit. Because if I give those thoughts power, that's exactly where I'll be.

I do not think half of us understand the extremely negative association that the pit has. I mean, truthfully ... Are we fully comprehending that the Word of God intends to spare us from going down into the pit? Do we get it? When we find ourselves consumed by an all-out battle of the soul or the mind or the heart, where do we turn? Do we look up - or do we look down? Do we take 2 steps back from the edge of the cliff and run in the opposite direction as fast as we can, or do we allow ourselves to jump in head-first? Alone in the vastness of our own empty pit. Leaving us to wallow in our own emptiness.

Does anyone know what I'm talking about?

In Jeremiah 38:1-5, Jeremiah is obeying God by speaking a bold word to the people of Jerusalem. The officials overhear his message and do not like it. They take their dispute to the king who tells them Jeremiah is in their hands and they can do with him what they want. So what do they do? They decide to stick him down inside a cistern (also known as a pit) ...

"So they took Jeremiah and put him into the cistern of Malkijah, the king's son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah by ropes into the cistern; it had no water in it, only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud." (Jeremiah 38:6)

Thankfully Ebed-Melech, an official in the royal palace, hears what has happened and how the officials have acted wickedly and he too goes to the king.

"Then the king commanded Ebed-Melech the Cushite, 'Take thirty men from here with you and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.' " (Jeremiah 38:10)

Ok, back to the original verse at the top. Taking a look at Psalm 30:3, the New American Standard translates this passage the following way: "O Lord, Thou hast brought up my soul from Sheol ... " Sheol: death or grave. The second portion of this verse in the NASB reads: " ... Thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit." Pit: prison, cistern, dungeon.

I want to point out one very important key element that was written in my Bible commentary: When empty, such cisterns serve as perfect prisons. Are you with me?? When empty, such cisterns (or pits) serve as perfect prisons! When we are in a pit, we are imprisoned to whatever is holding us there. We are imprisoned to that very thing that has caused us to fall into that pit. And when we are imprisoned, how in the world do we think we can be freed up to praise our God?

Do you find it interesting that the pit was so deep that Jeremiah was placed in, that it took 30+ men to pull him out? What about our pits? How deep are they? I guarantee deep enough that only Christ alone can rescue us. Deep enough that His mighty right hand is the only one who can successfully reach down and pull us out.

There is absolutely no profit in the pit. No one is praised and no purpose is found. But there is purpose in the praise of our God. When our souls are freed up to praise the One True God, we are able to live within our purpose. Standing on the opposite side of our pit - Never to fall down inside that lonely cistern again.

Ladies, I'm here to tell you today that the Word of God brings freedom to our souls. Freedom from strongholds and oppression. Jesus Christ has every intention of setting us free. And when we think or act contrary to that truth, it is to our own demise.

So if you find yourself at the edge of that cliff today, take two steps back and run as fast as you can in the opposite direction. Straight into the arms of Jesus. And if you've already jumped in, then call on His Name. Scream it if you have to, for goodness sake. Because He wants to reach His mighty right hand down into that muddy pit, just for you. Take hold of it and allow Him to pull you out.

So that you may be freed up ... To praise Your God.

Because you, dear sister, have been spared.

Hallelujah!

"Do not let the floodgates engulf me

or the depths swallow me up

or the pit close its mouth over me.

Do not hide Your face from Your servant;

Answer me quickly for I am in trouble.

Come near and rescue me; Redeem me ... "

(Psalm 69:15-18)