Scripture
Psalm 69:1-3 (ESV)
Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me. I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.
Devotional Reflection
David is caught in a flood of troubles. Everywhere he turns, he sees the destruction that these waters have brought. He can feel the imminent threat as the waters threaten to engulf him. He is bogged down--powerless to escape this disaster. Even his cries to God have, so far, gone unanswered. Christians are not exempt from these moments. We are "crucified with Christ..." Paul reminds us. The cross and suffering often comes into our lives in such a way that we wonder if it will not completely destroy us. We wonder how God could allow this cross to be placed on our shoulders. We cry out in prayer and complaint--and yet we hear no answer from God and experience no relief. We dare not dismiss the reality of the pain, or minimize the impact of the suffering. The cross is real--but it is not final. "...nevertheless, I live..." Paul continues. On his cross, Jesus was engulfed in the flood of God's judgment so that he himself could become our Ark. To be crucified with Jesus is not only to share in his suffering, but also to share in his salvation. The waters can threaten, but they can never destroy us. That's why it's such a beautiful thing that God has chosen water to deliver his gift of salvation to us. The very element that he once used to destroy the evil and violence that had plagued his good creation, he now uses to rescue us from desolation. When the flood waters are bearing down on you, cry out. Remind God of his promises. Because of Jesus even your cross has become a promise of rescue.
Image Description (AI Prompt)
A man is surrounded by the violent sea and under an ominous sky is depicted with stark contrasts between light and shadow, a hallmark of Caravaggio's technique. This approach brings a heightened sense of realism and immediacy to the image, emphasizing the man's desperate situation and the dynamic forces of nature surrounding him. Caravaggio's ability to convey deep emotional narratives through his meticulous attention to physical and lighting details is applied here, capturing the moment of the man's plea for divine intervention in a strikingly vivid and powerful manner.