Have Mercy

Friday, August 24, 2012

“I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.”  Psalm 116:2

Yesterday was rough.  I don’t know if I blew out my left knee, but let’s just say it left me immobile for a good part of the day. This morning it feels much better. I can’t get in to see the orthopedist for a week. Let’s just say that I won’t cancel the appointment no matter how that surgically repaired left knee feels in the coming week.  There’s something wrong with it. Again.  Although I’m thankful for the really good five and a half years Dr. Nelson gave to me with that knee.  And I’m still irritated that the good doctor moved to Maine.

My knee represents in many ways, the human condition.  We’re always blowing something out, and then calling for help.  The Psalmist was not different.  He cries for mercy; his cries get answered.  More often than not, I’m guessing his need for mercy was self-inflicted. My cries for mercy (with my knee) stem from a sledding accident 20 years ago in Wrightwood, California.  The sled I was on went out of control, and in my infinite wisdom I steered it into a snow bank to bring it to a stop.  Unfortunately, that snow bank turned to be a snow covered rock. And…  For twenty years now I have, at times, cried for mercy.

Which leads me to think…to whom do my cries first go to?  Certainly, wisdom requires that I see a doctor.  But my spirit knows that my cry should also go to the Lord; shame on me if that was not my first thought…as I sat in my chair almost unable to move my leg for a while yesterday.

Where do your cries go to first?  Maybe we all need a little reality adjustment.  Maybe we need to admit where our injuries come from.  But more than that, we need to first allow the Lord to hear our voices. He does hear us. And let us call on him as long as we live. And through it all, he will have mercy….

Have a great weekend friends!