Chapter 18
I AM In a Large Place
In Psalm 118:5, David reported sending out an SOS call to God. He said: "I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place." Now the words "in distress" imply that David was pushed to the limit. He was backed up to the wall. He had no room to turn. He couldn't see a way out. Some translations say that David was in a "narrow gorge," trapped and cornered. It’s true - David spent many a night huddled in a dark, damp, cold cave, listening to Saul's soldiers as they tramped by looking for him.
How did the Lord help David out of this situation filled with fear, anxiety and agitation? David says the Lord set him in a large place. The Hebrew word for large place was “merchav,”also translated “pasture” or “large field”. Some translations say "...and the Lord set me in a broad place." Here I think of hiking along a narrow ridge in the mountains, and then around the next turn - the Lord suddenly makes the path wide and broad so it is safe again. The Lord answered David's plea for help. He brought David out of his narrow and confined position of running from Saul and his soldiers, hiding in caves, into a place of liberty where he could walk at large, free from threats of danger and oppression. Eventually, David became the king of Israel, and the entire country became his "large place."
This verse confirms that God is standing by to get us out of tight spots and move us on to a large place. When you are sending out a desperate mental SOS, if you feel a panic attack coming on, take a deep breath. Visualize yourself coming out of that tight, narrow spot. Picture yourself walking into a large pasture with shade trees all around the edges, wildflowers in bloom, and green grass. Imagine sitting down on a blanket spread out in the grass with the Lord, enjoying a glass of iced tea with Him. Talk to Him about the tight spot you're in, lean back, and leave the rest up to Him. The Word promises that He will bring you out to a large place.
And there's more! You are living on earth right now, which has its share of limitations. But eventually, because of your saving relationship with His Son, Jesus, the Lord God is going to give you all of heaven in which to live. What larger place can be imagined? What a hallelujah day that will be!
Continue to Chapter 18: Questions
