Devotion Booklets for Seasons of the Church Year Lent 2018 | Page 6

Rock Bottom
Saturday, February 17th
Psalm 51:13-17
“You cannot appreciate the top until you hit rock bottom.” These words are often used to encourage
someone going through a difficult time in their life. Some have used variations of this piece of wisdom
to recount low points in their lives that taught them lessons.
You, too, can likely look back through your past and find a moment of “rock bottom.” You may even be
going through such a time right now. Whether it is financial or career related, family or health related,
we all have low points in our lives. However, most recognize that “rock bottom” often is not actually
the absolute bottom. Things can get worse.
Would you believe that God encourages you to find rock bottom? Not in an emotional or career related
way. But in your relationship with God, he wants – even commands – rock bottom. The psalm writer
David describes it as a broken spirit. Jesus, in his Sermon on the Mount, described it as being poor in
spirit.
Rock bottom is the recognition that your sin separates you from God. Your sin gives God every right to
cast you as far from him as the east is from the west. In the knowledge of our sin and unworthiness, we
are broken. This is indeed rock bottom.
As frightening as the recognition of your rock-bottom and spiritually helpless state may sound, God
doesn’t leave you there. He refreshes you by the truth that he does the exact opposite of what you
deserve. Instead of casting you away from him, in his love and mercy he casts your sin away from you.
Through the blood of his Son, he removes completely the guilt of your sin. In so doing, he brings you
into a close relationship with him.
This relationship makes everything you do a sacrifice of praise to God. He opens your lips and your
heart to praise him in all that you think, say, and do. He gives you the privilege to worship him with a
heart and life of service. Praise God for this privilege. Let your heart and lips glorify him always.
Prayer: Loving God, lead me to rock bottom. There only do I find the promise of forgiveness and mercy
in Christ. Amen.
Activity: Sing the doxology by Thomas Ken: “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all
creatures here below; praise him above, ye heav’nly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!” (Hymn
#334 in Christian Worship—A Lutheran Hymnal)
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