Scripture for Today: Psalm 4:1 “Answer me when I call to You, my righteous God.  Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.”

Being relieved of duty is not always something negative.  It can simply mean a change of command.  One person relieves the other of duty and then takes it on themselves, as in someone taking over a shift.  Pictured here is a change of command ceremony for the Blue crew of the USS Nebraska submarine.

Today’s verse is a cry of David for relief.   He ends the psalm with lying down in peace and sleep (verse 8).  David has found relief in his confident trust in the Lord.  His circumstances had not changed at all.  What changed was his focus.  And his focus changed as a result of his prayer.  Prayer does that.  It relieves a heart bowed down with worry.  Prayer relieves the heavy burden of sadness.  Prayer reminds us that we are not alone or forgotten.  He is there to relieve us from any distress we feel.  That is true relief.

My problems can seem insignificant compared to those of David.  But I do need relief during this unique time of pandemic.  There needs to be a “change of command” as I give everything over to the Lord.  He never means for me to have the “duty” of keeping it all together.  And just like David I can experience peaceful sleep.  He gives a peace that defies explanation (Phil. 4:7) and that guards my heart and mind.  I am relieved of duty as HE takes over the job Himself of creating peace in my heart.  He is willing and waiting to relieve me.

May my prayer to Him today end with a sigh of relief.