Devotional for Friday, December 2, 2016
“He Lifts Me Up”
by Dona Hake
I love meditating upon the fact that my Lord watches over me, walks beside me, and He expects me to follow Him. Today I want to share about how the Lord wants to uphold us at all times, and it is because of His watchful and caring eyes. I found some very interesting definitions of the word uphold. Let us meditate upon these definitions of the word uphold.
*to support or defend, as against opposition or criticism:
*to keep up or keep from sinking; support:
*to lift upward; raise:
As a shepherd, David understand how it was so important to be watchful and care for every need of his sheep. He understood the importance of defending his sheep against any dangerous predators. One of the most dangerous dilemmas for a sheep was if they ended up in a “cast down” position. The alertness and swift action of the caring shepherd was important when this happened or it meant a sheep would die if left to itself.
There are a handful of Psalms where David used this term “cast down.” Understanding this particular fact about a sheep brings greater understanding why the psalmist used this term so frequently in his psalms. “Cast down” is a term used for a sheep that has turned over on its back and cannot get up again by itself. I want to make emphasis on *it cannot get up again by itself. The poor sheep must be helped and turned right side up by the loving, strong hands of it’s shepherd. A “cast down” sheep is a sad sight. It lays on its back, and as its feet are in the air, it struggles frantically to get back up again. Sometimes it will make little bleating cries for help and just lays there frustrated. If the shepherd does not arrive on time, the sheep will die. Since a sheep that is cast down is in such a helpless state, it is also vulnerable to attack by predators.
I think this is such an excellent analogy of our condition at times when the circumstances of life seem to turn things upside down in our souls, yet David would use this term within prayers such as “why are you cast down oh my soul?…hope in God.” I am sure we can all relate to those times in which we are down, feeling frustrated and helpless. Oh thank God we have a Shepherd that always arrives on time to uphold and lift us back up!
Psalm 37:24 Amplified Bible
“Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down,
for the Lord grasps his hand in support and upholds him.”
I encourage you that in those times of being down and feeling helpless that you would look up for His hand. It is there for you to grasp! He will lift you up and put you on your feet again. Our Lord is a good Shepherd and He most assuredly will uphold you!