The Prayer of the Beef Jerky Heart

 Good day! I’m Duane Matz and this is Today’s Living Word

 

Ps 119:83 For I have become like a wineskin in smoke, Yet I do not forget Your statutes.

 What a lament! I have been struggling of late to hear from God in my morning devotions. It’s been like a spiritual famine. My heart has become like a dried up piece of beef jerky, (a wineskin in smoke) but I am in good company as the Psalmist here was going through his own spiritual famine.

 

I think spiritual famines come upon all of us at one time or another. We read, we pray and it’s like the heavens turn to brass. It is the spiritual equivalent of a natural famine spoken of in De 28:23 "And your heavens which are over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you shall be iron.

 

What to do? God is still there! His Word has not lost any of its power. The psalmist here admits that he is in a dryspell, but he resolutely tells God that he will wait it out and while waiting, he will continue to follow God’s guidance (statutes)

 

Those guidelines found in God’s Word are there for a purpose. They help to keep us on the right path no matter the season.

 

They are that “lamp unto our feet” mentioned in Ps 119:105 NUN. Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. 106 I have sworn and confirmed That I will keep Your righteous judgments.

 107 I am afflicted very much; Revive me, O LORD, according to Your word. 108 Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD This is the prayer of the beef jerky heart.

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word