Sunday, January 27, 2008

There is a Way Out of the Valley - Psalm 143

Subject: There is a Way Out of the Valley
Date: January 27, 2008
Text: Psalm 143

Story

- One day a preacher who had just lost his family to a tragic fire, and had fallen into the depths of a deep and dark depression was walking down a city street. There, he came upon a construction crew that was erecting a new church. He stopped to watch them as they worked, as he watched, he observed a worker who was busy carving a triangle out of stone with a chisel and hammer.
- Stepping closer, he asked the stonecutter what he was carving. The worker pointed to the steeple of the church and said, "Do you see that small opening up there near the steeple? Well, I am carving this stone down here so that it will fit in up there."
- The preacher was immediately stirred in his heart. He realized anew the faithfulness of God and came to understand that the valley he was in at the moment was God's way of carving him down here so that he would fit in up there.

Introduction

- During this life we often go through dark times of despair
- We may be faced with seemingly impossible situations
- Some of us may be thinking, how on earth will I get through this 13 month program
- Maybe we are approaching graduation and wonder what life will be like once we have our certificate in hand
- Will we relapse, will we be strong enough
- David, who was the king of the nation Israel, often went through times of depression and fear
- For much of his early life he was on the run from king Saul
- This was tough in itself, but later on, after he became king himself, even his own kids turned on him and wanted him out of the way
- He became depressed, just like sometimes happens with us
- When we are depressed it often feels like we are walking in a dark valley, we can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel
- David refers to this as the Valley of the shadow of death
- Let’s look at how David experiences this in Psalm 143

There is pain (v.3-4,7)

- Context – the rebellion of his son Absalom and the revolt of Ahithophel,
- Psa. 41:9 “Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me.”
- David is in the depths of depression - he is totally overwhelmed by the hurt and pain in his life
- V.3-4 “For the enemy has persecuted my soul; He has crushed my life to the ground; He has made me dwell in darkness, Like those who have long been dead. 4 Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me; My heart within me is distressed.”
- He despairs of life, it is as though God has gone into hiding – the word overwhelmed gives the idea of being encased in darkness
- David is in distress
- V.7 “Answer me speedily, O LORD; My spirit fails! Do not hide Your face from me, Lest I be like those who go down into the pit.”
- David feels as though he is at the end of his rope, there is no way to turn
- There seems to be no end to the pain, and no light at the end of the tunnel. Many of us may identify with David, we may feel we are in such a valley too

There is treasure (v.1-2, 5-6)

- That treasure is the treasure of a pure walk with God
- Our trial and our trouble may not be due to our personal sin
- Sometimes trials are the result of another’s sin, sometimes God allows the trial to teach us something, sometimes it is the enemy attacking us
- We are people who still sin continually, though
- That is why we need to turn to God in repentance and total surrender
- V.1-2 David acknowledges God’s faithfulness and his need for mercy
- In our dark valleys we remember times of God’s deliverance
- We remember those times when things looked bleak before, when troubles overwhelmed us and God stepped in and rescued us
- It is good to write these things down on paper, so that when we need them they are available to read
- During these times, we read God’s word and find example after example of God stepping in and rescuing his people
- V.5 David remembers God’s works, both in his life and in history
- In our dark valley, we learn to rely on God
- David knew he couldn't find the way out
- The problem and trial overwhelmed him
- So he was forced to look to God for the answer
- In our dark valley we come to the end of our rope, and now we have to rely on a big God to save us
- Pro. 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

There is a way out (V.1, 6, 8a, 9a, 11-12)

- In your dark valley, pray
- Time after time in these verses we see that David prayed, even when in the depths of despair
- V. 1, 6 “Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications! In Your faithfulness answer me, and in Your righteousness. 6I spread out my hands to You; My soul longs for You like a thirsty land.”
- Our duty is to pray! Pray when God says "yes", pray when He says "no", pray when He says "wait". Pray! Prayer is more than a religious activity, it is a path out of the dark valley
- Even in the darkness, David recognized God’s goodness
- V.10b “Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness [lead me on level ground NIV].”
- Keep on walking with God
- V.8, 10b, 11-12 Keep on going
- When we lie down and quit, that is when we fail
- But if we keep walking, we will find the exit sign
- God will provide a way, even when there seems to be no other way out

Summary

- There is pain and hurt in the valley of despair
- We all go through this valley at one time or another
- There is treasure in the valley – the treasure of a pure walk with God, the treasure of remembering God’s faithfulness in the past, the treasure of learning to rely on God
- There is a way out of the valley – it comes through prayer, it comes through acknowledging God’s goodness, and it comes through keeping on walking

Conclusion

- In our trials there is a strong temptation to lie down and quit
- But we are not made of that kind of stuff
- We are made to persevere and be conquerors
- Rom 8:35-37 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."