Today’s Crave devotional from Psalm 119:81-88 reads:
1My soul faints with longing for your salvation,
but I have put my hope in your word.
82My eyes fail, looking for your promise;
I say, “When will you comfort me?”
83Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke,
I do not forget your decrees.
84How long must your servant wait?
When will you punish my persecutors?
85The arrogant dig pitfalls for me,
contrary to your law.
86All your commands are trustworthy;
help me, for men persecute me without cause.
87They almost wiped me from the earth,
but I have not forsaken your precepts.
88Preserve my life according to your love,
and I will obey the statutes of your mouth.
I am reading out of Psalms 119:81-88 today. (The past few days, Internet access has been intermittent, so I apologize for not uploading my thoughts on the devotion of the day over at Victory.)
The word that jumped out at me was verse 85: The arrogant dig pitfalls for me, contrary to your law. Last night, one of my fellow worship leaders shared that she was having difficulty at work. It’s true, we will be persecuted, often by people whose own lives are missing something – Jesus, perhaps? – that they feel the need to take it out on others. Even from a secular perspective, the crab mentality of other people is just so out there.
Meanwhile, however, the Empathy strength in me wondered: have I ever dug a pit for someone else? Have I ever hindered or delayed someone from achieving what God has intended for him or her to do? While I couldn’t quite recall any particular incident, the thought of my possible having done that terrified me. I repented immediately – generalities, but a repentance nonetheless – and I think it’s a healthy thing to always put ourselves in other people’s shoes.
