"I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place.
The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?"
Psalms 118:5-6
Setting someone in a large place seems to be associated with freedom. Like the idea of giving someone their space now, or of freeing someone from a closed space is the idea of escaping from confinement.
It's interesting and cool that God answers our distress with freedom. Often in our modern world desperation leads to someone taking advantage of our need, and binding us further in some way. God does the opposite. When we are desperate, he shows us that there is more to life than the limited choices we can see through the blinders of desperation. He returns us to the freedom that he gave us in the first place, allowing us to choose to serve him, or not.
What we get out of this life is what we put into it, enhanced and multiplied by the Lord. When we turn to him for help, he always moves us towards being able to stand on our own again and make our own choices... because he isn't going to compel us to love him or to choose to be good people. That has to be our own choice, or we aren't actually changing who we are or progressing.
I like the last verse here too. The Lord is on our side, and there is no reason for fear. Compared to God, the things that people can do to us are limited and frivolous.
Today, let's remember that other people aren't in charge of our future. We are. God's goal is to set us in a large place and free us to make better choices, and he can free us from any man-made confinement. Our escape from any bondage is through the Lord... including bondage that we have chosen for ourselves. Let's take advantage of that freedom he bestows and ensures, and become better--helping other people to improve and to learn to make better choices as well.
The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?"
Psalms 118:5-6
Setting someone in a large place seems to be associated with freedom. Like the idea of giving someone their space now, or of freeing someone from a closed space is the idea of escaping from confinement.
It's interesting and cool that God answers our distress with freedom. Often in our modern world desperation leads to someone taking advantage of our need, and binding us further in some way. God does the opposite. When we are desperate, he shows us that there is more to life than the limited choices we can see through the blinders of desperation. He returns us to the freedom that he gave us in the first place, allowing us to choose to serve him, or not.
What we get out of this life is what we put into it, enhanced and multiplied by the Lord. When we turn to him for help, he always moves us towards being able to stand on our own again and make our own choices... because he isn't going to compel us to love him or to choose to be good people. That has to be our own choice, or we aren't actually changing who we are or progressing.
I like the last verse here too. The Lord is on our side, and there is no reason for fear. Compared to God, the things that people can do to us are limited and frivolous.
Today, let's remember that other people aren't in charge of our future. We are. God's goal is to set us in a large place and free us to make better choices, and he can free us from any man-made confinement. Our escape from any bondage is through the Lord... including bondage that we have chosen for ourselves. Let's take advantage of that freedom he bestows and ensures, and become better--helping other people to improve and to learn to make better choices as well.
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