{"id":1950,"date":"2011-03-27T02:49:01","date_gmt":"2011-03-27T06:49:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/?p=1950"},"modified":"2011-03-26T23:55:00","modified_gmt":"2011-03-27T03:55:00","slug":"1950","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2011\/03\/1950.html","title":{"rendered":"Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling: Face Down in the Dust"},"content":{"rendered":"

Face Down in the Dust<\/h2>\n
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Psalm 44:1-26<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

We collapse in the dust,
\nlying face down in the dirt.
\nRise up! Help us!
\nRansom us because of your unfailing love.<\/p>\n

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Psalm 44:25-26<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Has your life ever been so difficult that you ended up face down in the dust? Have you experienced disappointment in life…and in God? Has it ever felt to you as if God has abandoned you for no particular reason? Are you feeling that way right now?<\/p>\n

If you answered \u201cyes\u201d to any of these questions, then Psalm 44 is perfect for you. It begins with a celebration of God\u2019s mighty intervention on behalf of his people. God is constantly praised because he has given victory to Israel (44:7-8). \u201cBut now you have tossed us aside in dishonor,\u201d laments the psalm writer (44:9). God\u2019s people have experienced terrible things, and none of them seem to be earned. The psalmist protests: \u201cWe have not violated your covenant.\u201d Yet, \u201cfor your sake we are killed everyday; we are being slaughtered like sheep\u201d (44:22).<\/p>\n

Psalm 44 ends with a passionate cry for the Lord to \u201cWake up!\u201d and hear the prayers of his people. In anguish, the psalmist prays on behalf of the people, \u201cWe collapse in dust, lying face down in the dirt. Rise up! Help us! Ransom us because of your unfailing love\u201d (44:25-26). The phrase translated as \u201clying face down in the dirt\u201d could be translated even more literally, \u201cour bellies cling to the earth.\u201d This is a posture of despair, as well as desperate prayer.<\/p>\n

Why doesn\u2019t the psalmist just give up on God? What would help God\u2019s people to pray even in such a place of disheartenment? Notice the final line of the Psalm: \u201cRansom us because of your unfailing love.\u201d \u201cUnfailing love\u201d translates the Hebrew word chesed<\/em>, which means \u201cgoodness, kindness, mercy, covenant faithfulness\u201d as well as \u201cunfailing love.\u201d Though God\u2019s people do not feel his love at the moment, they nevertheless count on that love because the Lord has revealed himself as a God who is \u201cfilled with unfailing love\u201d (Exod. 34:6).<\/p>\n

When you and I find ourselves in a situation like that of Psalm 44, we may wonder why God has abandoned us or even doubt whether God is there at all. Yet we continue to pray because God has demonstrated his love for us, most of all in the cross. When we are face down in the dust, we remember the one whose face was bruised and battered for us. When our belly clings to the earth, our souls cling to the cross.<\/p>\n

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION:<\/strong> Have you ever experienced something like the discouragement of Psalm 44? When? What happened? What helps you to keep on praying even when it seems like God is not there for you? What helps you to hang onto God\u2019s love in difficult times?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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PRAYER:<\/strong> God of Mercy, God of Unfailing Love, sometimes you make your power known to us in amazing ways. We marvel at your might and goodness.<\/p>\n

But there are other times, times when you seem to have wandered away from us or turned your back upon us, times when our prayers bounce back upon us after hitting the ceiling. We wonder why you have abandoned us? We can\u2019t figure out your ways. Yes, it can feel as if our bellies are clinging to the dust.<\/p>\n

Help us in these times, Lord, to remain faithful. Help us to continue to pray. Bring around us those who can suffer with us and stand with us. Above all, may we cling to the cross, knowing that your love will never let us go.<\/p>\n

Today I want to pray especially for people I know who are lying facedown in the dust. Hear their prayers, Lord! Let them know that you are with them! Lift them up in your unfailing love!<\/p>\n

I pray in the name of Jesus, the ultimate revelation of God\u2019s love for us. Amen<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

_________________________________________________<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Would you like to receive a Daily Reflection like this one in your email inbox each morning?<\/p>\n

Here’s how . . . .<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

This devotional comes from The High Calling: Everyday Conversations about Work, Life, and God <\/em>(www.thehighcalling.org<\/a>). You can read my Daily Reflections there, or sign up to have them sent to your email inbox each day. This website contains lots of encouragement for people who are trying to live out their faith in the workplace. The High Calling<\/em> is associated with Laity Lodge, where I work.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Face Down in the Dust Psalm 44:1-26 We collapse in the dust, lying face down in the dirt. Rise up! Help us! Ransom us because of your unfailing love. Psalm 44:25-26 Has your life ever been so difficult that you ended up face down in the dust? Have you experienced disappointment in life…and in God?…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[217,242],"class_list":["post-1950","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sunday-inspiration","tag-psalm-44","tag-sunday-inspiration"],"yoast_head":"\nSunday Inspiration from The High Calling: Face Down in the Dust - Mark D. 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Roberts","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","caption":"Mark D. Roberts"},"description":"The Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a pastor, author, retreat leader, speaker, and blogger. Since October 2007 he has been the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a multifaceted ministry in the Hill Country of Texas. Before coming to Laity Lodge, he was for sixteen years the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California (a city in Orange County about forty miles south of Los Angeles). Before his time at Irvine Pres, Mark served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood as Associate Pastor of Education. (Thanks to Janel Pahl for taking the photo to the right.) Mark studied at Harvard University, receiving a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in the Study of Religion, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins. He has taught classes in New Testament for Fuller Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark has written several books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005), Dare to Be True (WaterBrook, 2003), Jesus Revealed (WaterBrook, 2002), After \"I Believe\" (Baker, 2002), and Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Word, 1993). His most recent book is Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Crossway, 2007). He is currently working on a commentary on Ephesians that will be published by Zondervan in 2014. Mark writes a devotional for The High Calling of Our Daily Work, a website associated with Laity Lodge. His \"Daily Reflections\" can be viewed online or sent as a daily email. If you wish to receive this email, just visit TheHighCalling.org and sign up. Mark serves on the editorial board of Worship Leader magazine, where he publishes articles and reviews, including his regular column \"Lyrical Poetry.\" Additionally, he has published dozens of articles in leading magazines and journals. He often speaks for churches and other Christian groups, and has been interviewed on over seventy-five radio programs nationwide. Mark is married to Linda, who is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a Spiritual Director, and a retreat speaker. They have two children, Nathan and Kara.For Publicity Photos and Bio Statements for Mark, please check here. Mark's Dossier Professional History: Senior Director and Scholar-in Residence, Laity Lodge, October 2007 to present. Senior Pastor Irvine Presbyterian Church, June 1991 to September 2007 Adjunct Assistant Professor Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994 to 2007. Courses: New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Adjunct Instructor San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1995 to 2001. Courses: New Testament Greek and Exegesis Associate Pastor of Education First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, 1987-1991 Teaching Fellow Harvard University, 1980-1983 Education: Ph.D. in the Study of Religion. Harvard University, 1992. Area: New Testament and Christian Origins M.A. in the Study of Religion Harvard University, 1984. A.B. magna cum laude in Philosophy Harvard University, 1979. Phi Beta Kappa; Danforth Fellowship Books: Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Crossway, 2007 No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer. WaterBrook, 2005 Dare to Be True: Living in the Freedom of Complete Honesty. WaterBrook, 2003. Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better. WaterBrook, 2002. After \"I Believe\": Experiencing Authentic Christian Living. Baker, 2002. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther in the Communicator's Commentary Series. Word, 1993. Contacting Mark: You can reach Mark at: E-mail: mark@markdroberts.com mroberts@laitylodge.org Phone: Laity Lodge: (830) 792-1216 Address: Laity Lodge 719 Earl Garrett Kerrville, TX 78028","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/author\/mroberts"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1950","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1950"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1950\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1953,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1950\/revisions\/1953"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1950"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1950"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1950"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}