Day 71

Numbers 16:41–18:32; Mark 16:1-20; Psalm 55:1-23; Proverbs 11:7

BEING BETRAYED BY someone we trusted and held close can be profoundly damaging to our souls. It touches everything about us and can literally change the course of our lives. If you’ve ever experienced this —and most of us do, at one point or another —the words from Psalms today may feel very personal:

My heart pounds in my chest. . . . Fear and trembling overwhelm me, and I can’t stop shaking. . . . Everything is falling apart; threats and cheating are rampant in the streets. It is not an enemy who taunts me —I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me —I could have hidden from them. Instead, it is you —my equal, my companion and close friend. . . . His words are as smooth as butter, but in his heart is war. His words are as soothing as lotion, but underneath are daggers!

Once again, the Bible offers its companionship and counsel. David (who penned this psalm) was not only a king but also a renowned poet and musician. Often, the Psalms masterfully articulate the issues of the heart. They are as a hand reaching out over time offering hope, and as David reached the crescendo of this song, hope becomes clear amid the madness:

I will call on God, and the LORD will rescue me. Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the LORD hears my voice. He ransoms me and keeps me safe from the battle waged against me, though many still oppose me.

Take heart, dear one. You are not alone —and you will never be. The Lord hears your voice and will sustain you through the trial. In fact, He is the only One who can heal your broken heart.

MEDITATION:

Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.