King David Archives - Kristin Saatzer

I waited patiently for the Lord;

he turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the slimy pit,

out of the mud and mire;

he set my feet on a rock

and gave me a firm place to stand.

He put a new song in my mouth,

a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear the Lord

and put their trust in him.

Psalm 40:1-3

When I read this portion of Psalm forty, my memory immediately jumps to a day when I was a kid in a pit. A foolish kid. Construction was happening behind my friend Kimie’s house. Bulldozers had dug a hole for a well or something water-oriented. Mischief usually happened at Kimie’s house, and that day was no exception. We decided it would be a fun adventure to slide into the pit. I went first. She did not go second.

It was deep and dark. I could not catch my breath because the air was restricted. I could not climb out because the sides were muddy, too slippery to scale. As panic seeped in, I saw Kimie at the top. She threw down a long piece of pipe; I grasped it tightly as she pulled me up in a long filthy fight to safety. Strong girl, that one.

Thankfully, it’s a memory of kids being kids with a happy ending. Yet, the sensation of the fear and helplessness I felt at the bottom of that hole come back to me still, a lifetime later.

These days, I am in a season of health struggles and lots of life uncertainty. Depression hangs around quite a bit too. I return to this passage in Psalm forty often, the words copied in my journal because this period of my life feels like a stint in a pit. Not an actual muddy cavern, of course, but a deep dark emotional space where my mind, heart, and soul dwell.

King David, the author of this section of scripture, conveyed his hurt and humanity so beautifully throughout the Psalms. There is much in his sentiment that I can relate to. That I cling to.

Like David, I, too, am waiting for the Lord. I find myself somewhere between the middle of the hole and the top, like I’m sitting on a ridge, with my feet stuck in the muddy side. I can see the sun sparkle over the top, but I am not there. Oh, how I want out, to stand on firm, dry ground with the sun shining on my face.

In verse one, David said he waited “patiently” for the Lord. Gosh, have I had some impatient moments in these eleven months. Yet, I keep coming back to Him in this longsuffering season. In the middle of it all, I keep praising Him. I return again and again in the fearful, tearful moments. In the agony of no answers, I go back to what I know, to the One I know. I seek the familiar words and arms of my Savior.

Where else would I go?

Maybe you, too, find yourself in a pit. Perhaps there are profound disappointments in your life that hang on. And on. Are there prayers that go unanswered? Health and relationship issues that break your heart? This is hard, and you are not alone. Take my hand, and let’s look up to our sovereign God for help.

In the deep end of all the hurt, I practice hope. I pray that someday in some way, my pit life will be used for His glory. I pray your story will be used for His glory, too. May we cling to the fact that God is working all things out. May we remember that even when He seems so far away, He is in the pit with us, holding us ever so tight.

My friend, may God put a new song in our mouths. I pray God will lift us completely out of the slime and mud, and may we lift our faces into the sunshine and stand on the firm, dry ground. Until then, let us hold on as never before to the One who never leaves, who never forsakes His beloved.

When my son, Josiah, was three, he would often say, “I so proud” after catching one of us doing something “good”. I can still hear his raspy voice sputtering those words. Sweet words. Sweet boy.

“I’m proud of you” is a blessing given to many in the world of kid-dome. Josiah heard this expression and felt encouraged by it, and passed it on. Children often hear these words spoken by parents, teachers, and coaches; honey to their little souls. However, as they grow into adulthood, this affirmation is given less and less.

There are many people in my life of whom I’m proud. Not just my kids.

I watched my mom and step-dad move from state to state to care for my grandparents in their last years. What a touching act of love this was. I am watching my dad and aunt care for my grandmother in her nineties. My aunt handling the day-to-day responsibilities and difficulties; my dad traveling from SD to Phoenix to manage the finances. I am proud of all of them and affected by their example.

I see moms making tough, mature decisions about their kids. I see them sacrifice to the point of heroics. I admire friends going back to school, trying new careers, or staying in hard jobs to pay the bills. I view loved ones doing scary-brave things. People in my world are righting wrongs and fighting injustice. Some caring for ill parents and ill children, others in counseling and recovery. What admiration I have for them.

This is not the self-pride the Bible warns us of.

This is other-pride.

I am well pleased with you pride.

We find examples in God’s word:

~God refers to David as “A man after God’s own heart”. David strove to be who God wanted him to be in the midst of his humanity and sin. See 1 Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22

~In the Parable of the Talents the master tells his servant, “Well done my good and faithful servant.” See Mathew 25:23

~In Mark 14:9 we see the disciples and others mocking a woman for bringing expensive oil to anoint Jesus. Jesus rebuked them saying, “Let her alone. Why are you giving her a hard time? She has just done something wonderfully significant for me… She did what she could when she could—she pre-anointed my body for burial. And you can be sure that wherever in the whole world the Message is preached, what she just did is going to be talked about admiringly.” The Message

~God is proud of His only begotten son. He says so in Matthew 3:17, “This is my son in whom I’m well pleased!”

Our culture today seems consumed with negativity and the tearing down of others. I see the name calling and threats to “unfriend” on social media because of political and religious differences. And the news! Watching the news is depressing enough, but in election season, it is downright dismal. The finger-pointing and mudslinging drive me to eat a lot of chocolate.

So, how do we abate this yuck? As we take our focus off the news (and chocolate), we find many precious ones in need of encouragement. People in our world desperate for sweet, uplifting words. A friend or family member who hasn’t heard “I’m proud of you!” for a long time.

Is it your heart’s desire to follow God instead of cultural negativity? To be a woman or man after God’s own heart? Truly, this is my desire. Other-pride is a great place to jump in. We can make a positive difference in a negative world by pouring kind words into our people. Honey to the soul.