Moments of Crisis
Daily Old Testament Reading: Psalm 74, 79, 2 Kings 24
Daily Focus Passage: Psalm 74
People face various crises in life. Crises confuse and often lead to moments of struggle and pain. In Psalm 74, the people were facing the coming onslaught of Babylon. They would experience the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple. The Babylonians would rule over the people and send many of them into exile. This moment created a crisis. Psalm 74 teaches us that we must recognize the reality of the crisis, seek God in the crisis, and pray to the Lord through the crisis.
RECOGNIZE THE REALITY OF THE CRISIS
The Psalmist attempts to recognize the reality of the moment. He does not seek to make excuses for the onslaught of the Babylonians and does not ignore the dire dynamics of the state of Jerusalem. Owning the reality of the crisis provides the first step to handling the crisis. We own the crisis when we identify the events taking place and strive to understand the triggers that lead to these moments of crisis. When we recognize reality, we set the stage to deal with the crisis because the crisis has a name.
SEEK GOD IN THE CRISIS
We must strive to face each crisis by seeking the Lord. The Psalmist seeks the direction and leading of the Lord amid the crisis. The Psalmist understands that his fleshly approach to the situation would not bring victory or relief. He knew that the Lord's leading alone would provide the needed strength to endure and the victory needed. When we face a crisis, our eyes must not lock into the crisis and ignore all else. Instead, we must focus on seeking the Lord and trusting his navigating through the crisis.
PRAY TO THE LORD THROUGH THE CRISIS
Seeking the Lord means we pursue the ways and will of the Lord. At the same time, we must seek the Lord in prayer. Prayer is a primary mechanism to speak to and hear from the Lord. When we pray in a crisis, we can share with the Lord how we feel and what we need. Prayer allows the Lord to speak with us concerning our thoughts and ways and puts us in the communication moment of hearing from him. Thus, prayer is vital to living through the crisis.
We all face crises in life. These moments of pain may be self-inflicted or inflicted by others. These events do not need to shake our core but should drive us to seek the Lord and allow him to be our needed foundation. How have you faced crises in the past? If you are in crisis, are you seeking the Lord?
