Today's Verse

O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul; You have redeemed my life. — Lamentations 3:58 NKJV

Devotion

My enemies made a powerful case against me. Like Jeremiah's enemies (e.g., Jeremiah 37:13-15; Jeremiah 38:4-5), they slandered me and made false accusations against me. It didn't matter to them that there wasn't any truth to what they said. Indeed, they knew full well that there wasn't any truth to it. I stood in their way and they would have done anything to get me out of the way. They had goals and an agenda and they would not countenance anyone that challenged them. They would not countenance the words of anyone that stuck up for what's right and true.

At first, I tried to defend myself. Like Jeremiah, I made a case for myself. (e.g., Jeremiah 26:12-15) I made as good a case as I could. I told them I was innocent of the charges they brought against me. I told them that I was only trying to do what was right and true. If they would not listen to me, if they would not hear my defense, then they would be guilty of punishing the innocent. Nevertheless, they didn't listen to me. They ignored my plea. They were determined to get me out of the way and nothing I could say would stop them from doing it.

It was then that the Lord stepped in and helped me. He did what our verse for today says the Lord did for Jeremiah. He "pleaded the case for my soul." True, He worked His will for me through the efforts of human beings. True, He did it through those who stood up for me and came to my defense. (see Jeremiah 38:7-9) Despite this, I knew it was Him. There is no doubt in my mind that the Lord stepped in and worked behind the scenes to get it done. I was about to be judged, I was about to be sentenced, but the Lord turned things around and released me from their grasp.

The Lord redeemed Jeremiah's life by lifting him out of a slimy pit in a dungeon. (Jeremiah 38:10-13) Figuratively speaking, the Lord did the same for me. He lifted me out of a situation that I couldn't get out of myself.

He lifted me out and then set me up on a more secure and sure foundation. (Psalm 40:1-2)