The international distress signal Mayday is always repeated three times in a rowMayday-Mayday-Maydayso the situation will be clearly understood as a life-threatening emergency. The word was created in 1923 by Frederick Stanley Mockford, a senior radio officer at Londons Croydon Airport. That now-closed facility once had many flights to and from Le Bourget Airport in Paris. According to the National Maritime Museum, Mockford coined Mayday from the French word maidez, which means, help me.
Throughout King Davids life, he faced life-threatening situations for which there seemed to be no way out. Yet, we read in Psalm 86 that during his darkest hours, Davids confidence was in the Lord. Hear my prayer, Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me (vv. 67).
David also saw beyond the immediate danger by asking God to lead his steps: Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name (v. 11). When the crisis was past, he wanted to keep walking with God.
The most difficult situations we face can become doorways to a deeper relationship with our Lord. This begins when we call on Him to help us in our trouble, and also to lead us each day in His way.
In todays psalm, David asks for Gods help in his time of trouble but looks beyond this difficult time. In verse 11, he asks God to teach him His ways, so he can rely on Gods faithfulness. David knew that learning Gods ways would change the way he responded to the situations of life. Spending time with God, learning who He is and what He has done, draws us close to Him and changes us. What situation are you facing for which you need Gods help?