“I wait for the Lord, who bends down to me and hears my cry, draws me up from the pit of destruction, out of the muddy clay. Sets my feet upon rock, steadies my steps and puts a new song in my mouth, a hymn to our God.” Psalm 40:2-4

Have you had your feet buried in mud, perhaps as a child or even as an adult? Was there a little resistance and you had to pull a little harder to lift your feet out of the mud? Have you tried to stand on an uneven rock with muddy feet?

Sometimes I think our messy lives feel a little like that. It feels we are stuck in the mud and it will take a crane to lift us out of the mud. Perhaps that’s a bit of exaggeration but you get my drift. I think what I find most interesting here is that in the Psalm in today’s readings, God sets our feet upon the rock and steadies our steps…. and then He puts a new song within us.

Here is my non-theologian degreed unpacking of this.

Not sure about you but when my feet are muddy, they are a little slippery especially if I’m trying to walk on a rock. I love the outdoors and many times I have been bare feet in the mud and adventuring on rocks, especially when I was a kid playing around the creek, and often times I’ve lost my balance.

In life, when it gets messy, unclear, muddy, we tend to lose our balance. In some cases that may mean questioning our faith, God’s will, our own actions, etc.

But look what God does for us, for you.

Not only does He “draw [you] up from the pit of destruction, out of the muddy clay,” but He puts you on the rock and steadies your step. I can interpret the rock as many things here – the main ones being my faith and His Church. In all my struggles in life, I guarantee you that when my life was muddy and off balance and God took that crane to lift me out of the mud, it was my faith – the Eucharist and the Cross – that steadied my steps. Both of which are found in the church along with my community.

He doesn’t stop there. Look at what He does after He steadies your feet… He renews YOU, your spirit, your joy, your peace. How about that for an awesome God? He lifts you from the messiness of life, steadies you on His Word and truth and then fills you with song. That’s your God writing a symphony within you. I’m not sure why I get so amazed still at how awesome God is and what He is capable of and what He does in each of our lives. I will say this over and over again, I am thankful for the messiness in my life, the struggles and the pain, because without it, I would not have the good things I have in my life today, especially the friendship I have with my God, my Lord, my Savior and King.

Are you allowing Him to produce a new song in you? Are you allowing Him to lift you from the pit of muddy clay and steady you?

Blessings to each of you.

Categories: Faith, Hope, Trust

Tags: #Catholic, #Church, #eucharist, #joy, #muddinessoflife, Faith, Hope, Love, Trust