July 4th Reflection by Bill Lynch

Psalm 30
I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up, and did not let my foes rejoice over me.
O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.
O Lord, you brought up my soul from Sheol, restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.”
By your favor, O Lord, you had established me as a strong mountain; you hid your face; I was dismayed.

To you, O Lord, I cried, and to the Lord I made supplication:
“What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness?
Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me! O Lord, be my helper!”
You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
so that my soul may praise you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.

Reflection
We need someone to bring us out of the depths of despair. This could cover so many situations. Despair and depression that overwhelms our body and mind. Despair from illness or even the death of a loved one. Despair from hunger or homelessness or financial ruin. Whatever shape the despair takes; we need help.

When we live with despair we have lost all hope. We give up. It isn't as if we didn't try. So, we search for hope and can't find it within ourselves. We examine our situation and can't seem to reconcile what is happening to us with the world. In despair we have lost hope.

God graciously sets a limit on the despair. God comes to us and lives with us even while we are in the midst of our despair. While we are in the midst of despair, we recall those times when we were happy and full of life. We compare the feelings of this past emotion and can't understand the depths of the despair in our present moment. But, we know that God was present in both of those times.

So, we call upon God in the midst of our hopelessness. We call to our Father. And God feels our pain. God knows our pain. God has felt this pain in Jesus cry from the cross. God understands our need to cry out to the Father. "My God, my God why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34b)

In this despair of Jesus, God has responded to our despair throughout all time. Jesus took on the depths of despair and brought the only hope that we have for life. It is only through Jesus that we can live in the hope of life... eternal life... life with God... life with Jesus our Savior... life with the Holy Spirit in joy.

God is the answer to our hopelessness in the midst of our despair. God in Jesus knows despair and understands despair and will be with us in our times of deep despair. Even those times when we aren't aware of God's presence because of those depths; God is there with us.

So, while despair hurts and is awful to the core. We can rest assured in the hope of God in Jesus that we have been blessed with eternal love... eternal compassion... eternal understanding... eternal hope... and eternal life through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Prayer
Lord, I give you all thanks and praise for what you have done for all people through your Son, Jesus. We live in a world full of despair, but know that you are victorious. Your love is so deep and wide that I can't give you enough thanks for the joy that you give to me in my life. As I pause and recall your blessings and give you thanks, make me a person that points out the blessings you give to all people in Jesus. Use me this day to bring your hope, your joy and your life to those you give to me... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen