The Pit and the Pendulum

Ps 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

Published by Edgar Allan Poe in 1842, The short story, the Pit and the Pendulum tells of a prisoner of the Spanish Inquisition. According to one source, the man passes out while trying to determine the size of his prison room. When he wakes up, he realizes there is a large, deep pit in the middle of the room. He loses consciousness again and awakens strapped on his back, unable to move more than his head. He soon realizes there is a large blade-like pendulum hanging above him, slowly getting closer to cutting through his chest. He finds a way to escape but the burning iron walls of his prison start to move and close in on him, pushing him closer and closer to falling into the pit.

Just in reading the summary of this story, a person is terrified. Imagine the horror of the man who finds a crack, but is frustrated by an even greater malady.

And so it is with this world's system powered by lust, greed and avarice and added to that, the tempter and tormentor, Satan.

But God provides a way out of that spector, His hand reaches far down into that horrible pit, and if we will, by faith, grasp onto that saving hand, He will deliver us from the slicing pendulum and will set our feet on something secure, a rock and will establish our goings.
Are you in the pit today? Do you feel penned in, as if the walls are closing in on you? Do you feel lost and hopeless, trading one sorrow for a worse one? Look to Jesus. He is the only answer. Neither drink nor drug, porn or party, pride or passion can deliver from the prison of our problem, in fact, they only push us closer to the center of the room where the pit is. But He will bring you up.

One more thing, When the Psalmist speaks of God establishing our goings, that consistancy and purpose keeps the Christian away from the dangers of the pendulum. So many times we swing too far on the issues. Then we over correct and go too far the other way. Oh blessed thought that God can place us right where we need to be.