Thursday Thoughts for Parents | "Singing In Sorrow"

Thursday parenting featured

This post is based on Jeff Purswell's sermon, Singing In Sorrow, given on November 12, 2017.

 

With the “most wonderful time of the year” right around the corner, many are preparing to travel near and far to gather with their loved ones. Whether by plane or by car, traveling over the holidays has its challenges; and if your family has ever traveled as mine has during this season, there is always one question that is repeated over and over and over again…"Are we there yet?"

Though David was not traveling over the holidays when he wrote Psalm13, he asked a similar question. He was not traveling for hours on end to enjoy time with the ones he loved for food and good times. David was old and, while enduring a season of sorrow, his “suffering felt like a companion” as Pastor Jeff said. It was in this context that David began Psalm 13 asking, “How long, O LORD?”  

Pastor Jeff shared with us this past Sunday that David asked questions, made requests, and spoke declarations to the Lord. Through David’s example, we see God inviting us to express and experience our suffering with Him and not apart from Him. We witness David imploring God to meet him in his suffering as he finds God to be the only One who can meet his needs. 

 

[Post written by Carl Hirst]

Read Psalm 13

  • Who does David address his questions to in verses 1-2?

David makes requests:

  • Why might it be important to both be aware of our needs and know where to have them met?

David makes declarations:

  • What declaration does David make in verse 5-6?

Pray

  • For your family. Is anyone hurting in your family?
  • For our pastors and church. Consider those who are enduring suffering now.
  • For the missionaries and the lost. Pray that God uses suffering to draw people to Himself.