Read: Numbers 8:1-9:23, Mark 13:14-37, Psalm 50:1-23, Proverbs 10:29-30

Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High.
Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.
(Psalm 50:14-15)

Relate: 

We all love the middle part of this verse, don’t we? Call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you. This is a beautiful promise and all of us, if we are living in our calling, have surely had many moments in our life when we clung tightly to it. A good dozen years back, this song above was so overplayed that it had become a cliche. But that doesn’t change the truth about it. How many of us have caught ourselves “spinning on a thin black sheet of glass?” Those from the north can probably answer that literally. Those in the south, it’s OK to get metaphorical. You might not have had many experiences with black ice, but I am sure we have all had moments when we felt life spinning out of control. It is OK to cry out in those moments, “Jesus, take the wheel.” It is OK to cry out in our trouble for Him to rescue us.

React: But how many of us do the first and last part of this verse as well? A week ago today I was in one of those, “Jesus take the wheel” type moments. Later on today I plan to share the full story over at kingdomscollide.org so keep your eyes peeled. The short version here is that I was told when leaving my country just over four months ago that I would never be allowed back in. But I stepped out in faith and tried to get back anyways. When it was my turn, I was pulled out of the passport control line and brought over to the “Inadmissible Person’s” office. I wish could say I was praying, “Jesus, take the wheel.” But honestly, it was more like, “Well, I thought I was stepping out in obedience, but I guess I was wrong.” Jesus took the wheel anyways. Once I was in that office, I met a really nice man in a really great mood. We were laughing and joking and after paying a small ($80 US) fine I was back on my way to getting my bags and heading into town.

Now it is your turn. The first part of the verse says, “Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God? What has He done in your life this past week that you can be grateful for?

It also says, “Keep the vows you have made to the Most High.” In what ways are you planning to step out in obedience to His calling in the immediate days ahead?

Finally, “You will give me glory.” Share a moment from your own life where you cried out, “Jesus take the wheel…” and He did.

Respond:

Dear God,
I am so thankful for the ways You have shown up in my life time and time again. In my life, You have rescued me in times of trouble. You have rescued me from the circumstances of life that have threatened to bury me. And you have also rescued me from those moments when my own sin, failures, and stupidity have caused me trouble. I thank You that Your grace is greater than all my sin and all of life’s circumstances. It is absolutely true that there is none like You.
Amen

The River Walk is a devotional created by Two Rivers Church. To visit or to watch a message online, please click here.
To read previous years devotionals taken from March 7th please click below:

Hard Lessons

One Year Ago

Thank You