TODAY IN THE WORD
Viking explorer Eric the Red discovered a new North Atlantic island in the tenth century. It was covered mostly with glaciers and rocks, having only a few patches of land that were suitable for living. Yet Eric gave his discovery the name Greenland, in the hope that colonists would be more likely to come to the new island if it had an attractive name.

Whether Eric's ruse worked is a question for the historians. But it illustrates our human tendency to put a positive spin on reality. Psalm 32 may have been written against the background of another ruse. We do not have the exact details in the text, but David apparently sinned in some way and tried to cover it up (vv. 3-5)(Some believe it was David's sin with Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11).

The king tried to deny the truth for a period of time, but it only made him miserable. He complained that his strength 'was sapped as in the heat of summer' (v. 4).

Some of our Today readers may identify with this analogy more quickly than others, but all of us have experienced summer heat that left us feeling drained and exhausted. Of all the seasons, summer has the unique ability to steal our energy. David chose his word picture well, because our Christian lives can also enter a period in which our faith feels parched and weak.

In David's case, sin was the cause of a summer drought in his heart, and even his body. The remedy for David's dryness was full confession of his sin to God and a prayer for forgiveness. If that is the cause of our problem, the remedy is the same. Instead of being blasted by the summer heat of guilt, the believer whose 'sin account' is current with God is blessed.

There are other reasons for a period of time like this, of course. Physical or emotional suffering, intense spiritual struggle, or any number of other circumstances can bear down on us and drain away our strength. But whether our need is to confess, or persevere in the face of a hard trial, God has new strength waiting for us when we turn to Him.

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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We again encourage you to use Scripture verses in prayer. Today's lesson calls for this kind of response.

The Scripture we suggest is another passage that will probably be very familiar to you, Isaiah 40:28-31. Why not go to these powerful verses and turn the prophet's statements into a prayer for spiritual strength? Since yesterday's application emphasized thanksgiving, you may want to continue that theme by thanking God that He never grows weary, and that He promises strength to those who are tired. Even if your faith is not in a summer drought right now, you'll find these truths invigorating.

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