Let Me Not Sink

“Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.

“I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.

“I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.” (Psalms 69:1-3)

WHO has not felt this?!

Help me! I’m in trouble! I’m sick of crying! God, where are you?

And then the next part- 

“O God, thou knowest my foolishness; & my sins are not hid from thee.” (5)

You KNOW I’m weak. You see me as I am. How did I get into this mess! But please-

“Deliver me out of the mire, & let me not sink: let me be delivered… out of the deep waters” (14)

LET ME NOT SINK.

You don’t have to take away the mud. Just let. me. not. sink.

The other day my 12-year-old daughter was sinking.

My husband & I were gone.

She lay crying in our bed.

My 13-year-old son had seen she was in distress.

He went to find her.

He heard her cries.

Hugged her.

Comforted her.

Told her he was there for her, no matter what.

As she told me this later, her eyes filled with tears in gratitude that her big brother was there for her.

My eyes filled with tears, too.

The mud did not go away.

But he pulled her up. 

Didn’t let her sink.

“Hear me, O Lord; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.” (16)

His lovingkindness IS good. His tender mercies ARE multiple.

Life’s hard. It wasn’t supposed to be easy.

But we aren’t supposed to face it alone.

We have a brother.

One who won’t let us sink.

But when [Peter] saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; & beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, & caught him, & said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” (Matt. 14:30-31)

“I bear testimony that you cannot sink farther than the light & sweeping intelligence of Jesus Christ can reach. I bear testimony that as long as there is one spark of the will to repent & to reach, he is there. He did not just descend to your condition; he descended below it, ‘that he might be in all & through all things, the light of truth.’” -Truman G. Madsen