Reflection from the Pit

 

The readings for the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (2022) include Jeremiah 38 and Psalm 40.  God's people knew about the pits, literally and figuratively.  And while I have not found myself at the bottom of a literal pit, I have known the figurative one.  The one where you look up, and you don't see how in the world you're going to get out.  

First Reading: Jer. 38

"Take three men with you, and get Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies."

Psalm 40: Lord, come to my aid!

I have waited, waited for the Lord,
and he stooped toward me. R
The Lord heard my cry.  
He drew me out of the pit of destruction, out of the mud of the swamp; 
he set my feet upon a crag;
he made firm my steps.  R
And he put a new song into my mouth,
a hymn to our God.
Many shall look in awe
and trust in the Lord. R
Though I am afflicted and poor,
yet the Lord thinks of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
O my God, hold not back! R

I often imagine this pit and the pits of my friends.  

Is it in the middle of the woods and wide and we're actually in the same pit, but with enough brush that we don't realize it? 

Or are we each in our own very narrow pit, some deeper than others, barely able to see a circle of light at the top.

Are our pits in the form of prisons so that like prisoners we can tap communications of encouragement through cell walls?  

And how in the world will we get out?

There's a realization in the pit.  After trying to climb out a few times and failing, you realize it will take someone else to get you out.  And so we wait.  We wait on the Lord.  

But waiting is hard. We often consider the past when we consider the future.  Looking at just the time in the pit won't do.   We have to look further back, to before the pit and remember other pits we've come out of.  

And we have to think of others who have been saved from the pit.  I'm grateful for these scripture passages for building a faith in me.  Countless other faithful have known the pit, and the Lord drew them out.  

Sometimes remembering the Lord's goodness is hard from the pit.  When we feel forgotten, especially during the long haul, we have here a reminder that He thinks of me.  Though I am afflicted and poor, yet the Lord thinks of me.  

Who is Ebed-melech who got Jeremiah out of the pit?  He seems like a good man who wanted to do the right thing.   Did Jeremiah even know him?  But the Lord knew them both and used Ebed-melech to save Jeremiah.  Later, Jeremiah has a word for him from the Lord, that the Lord will deliver him because he trusted in the Lord. 

From our pits, may we trust in the Lord, our Deliverer! Lord, come to my aid!

Update 11/5/2022:

I don't know how I could have missed it originally when posting about the Pit.  This video has the audio recording of a miracle caught on cassette tape just when this pastor was reading about Pit experiences in Psalm 103: