Jon and Melissa Cardwell
It’s good to laugh with a light heart when our situations seem dim, bleak, or even dark. Tonight, during our family devotional, even while reading Psalm 38 as a family, we laughed during the reading of the passage; although many familiar with it might think we had lost all reverence and dignity for a psalm that clearly speaks of sorrow, repentance, and a desire for God through one’s personal weakness.
We laughed a bit because we were reminded by some of the portions of the text that it very closely resembled that which I have been personally facing lately…
“I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long” (Psalm 38:6). We laughed because I’m 6 foot 1 inches tall, yet with my crutches I seem considerably shorter. I am truly bowed down greatly in my trouble and affliction.
“…and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am feeble and sore broken” (Psalm 38:7-8). The ailments in my muscles are a reminder of the condition all flesh is in since Adam fell; and that I am physically feeble, it reminds me that in the best of my strength, and even during the most able of my younger years, I must always rely on the strength of the Lord. Only His strength, only His supply of grace, is sufficient to carry us through.
We got a good laugh out of this one: “I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart…. and my groaning is not hid from thee” (Psalm 38:8, 9). For about the past month or two, I often cannot yawn like a normal person. It comes out like Tarzan’s call or the roaring of some jungle cat or trumpeting elephant. I yawned the other day and Rachel sang, “Watch out for that tree! George, George, George of the Jungle…” Not only have the muscles in my neck and mouth become weakened so that I have trouble speaking at times, but I can’t control my yawn. Now we see that my groaning is not hid from God because my yawn is not hid from anyone!
We laugh with more joy because of this light and momentary affliction; because it gives us all, my wife, my daughter, my mother-in-law, our congregation at Sovereign Grace Baptist, many more opportunities to acknowledge God’s strength in our weaknesses. I have more weak moments throughout the day these days than stronger moments, and that has allowed me to consider that my desire is Christ and His grace because His atoning death is more clearly in view through my afflictions than it has been in my good health. Now, I can sing out with a much greater understanding of that inspired psalm portion, “Lord, all my desire is before thee” (Psalm 38:9).
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Hello Pastor Jon,
When we are lacking in strength we can sing this Psalm…Psalm 59:16:
But as for me,I shall sing of Thy strength;
Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Thy lovingkindness in the morning,
For Thou hast been my stronghold,
And a refuge in the day of my distress.
I do not have much strength this morning so I am singing of His great strength!
Thank you, sister, we certainly can sing that.
The Lord bless you.
Thanks for posting this devotional. I am reading it from a hospital room. A few weeks ago I began experiencing shortness of breath and fatigue. I am 54 years old, haven’t been overnight in a hospital since I was 2, never had surgery, never even broken a bone in my body. The Lord has blessed me and my family with exceptional health over the years. Now I am here with a possible heart problem.
I am feeble and laid low but I am praising God because his mercy endures forever. He forgives all my iniquities, He heals all my diseases, He redeems my life from destruction, He crowns me with goodness and mercy and fills my mouth with good things so that my youth is renewed like the eagle.
His strength is made perfect in our weakness!
Thank you for sharing that, Brother Steve. I know that your testimony will be an encouragement to all that read it.
I will be praying for you throughout the day, and we will place your name on our prayer list for our prayer meeting tonight at SGBC. In whatever the Lord is doing through you in this circumstance, my prayer for you will be the same that it has been for me, the men of our congregation, and men I have been praying for who are serving the Lord throughout the world: that though we are weak, we continue to seek God’s face, continue to desire Christ’s presence, and rejoice in all that Christ Jesus is.
Blessings, dear brother.