The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Psalm 34:6-7,
These are the words penned by David reflecting his thoughts on when he fled from King Saul. Saul sought to kill David and as David went to a town call Gath he was recognized. Being alone and fearing he might be handed over to Saul, he pretended to be insane. Taken before Achish, the king of Gath, David began making senseless marks on the doors of the gate and let saliva run down his beard. The ruse worked and the king had David removed from his presence. David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam.
I note an interesting observation here. David sought the Lord's help and then did something about his predicament. He didn't sit down and wait for the Lord to initiate action, he sought the Lord and then took action, as bizarre as it was.
Sometimes I have been caught in the dilemma of decision making: Do I reflect a lack of faith when I take something before the Lord and then take action? For instance, if I own firearms for home defense, am I displaying a lack of trust in the Lord to protect my family? I prayed for the Lord's protection. Since I did, why do I need the firearms? If I seek the Lord's help, call out to him in my need, and then get up and do something about whatever the issue at hand is, does that manifest I do not believe the Lord will answer my prayer or act on my behalf? I'll bet you have struggled with this kind of thinking as well.
Clearly David's perspective on this was to trust the Lord, taking his concerns to him in prayer, and then did his best to resolve the issue. Listen to how he expresses this in Psalm 34:4, in his reflections on what happened in Gath, "I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears." He sought the Lord and then got up and started acting like a fruit loop. In his reflection on it in Psalm 34 he carefully credited the Lord for the successful outcome.
It was as David acted that his words of Psalm 34:7 were realized, "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them." Based on this deliverance the Lord provided, David challenges us, "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him." David knew this to be true.
How many times I have seen folks take something before the Lord and then sit on their hands! And, yet, they still carry a spare tire in the trunk of their car. I am of David's perspective: trust in the Lord, take our challenges to him in prayer and then act. The Lord has given us a will and the means to act. I firmly believe the Lord wants us to exercise what he has given us, and, as we do, he just may intervene and bring about success for us.
Even if we don't find success (as we may define it), it may just be from our perspective. I am reminded that God works all things for the good of those who love him, Romans 8:28. In that context it is those difficulties in life, those hardships that are in view. Sometimes what we consider to be a bad outcome is the perfect outcome for our good in a way we don't see.
In any event, along with David, the greatest thing that can be said about my life and God's involvement with me is, "This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles." How about you? How wonderful when we call on him!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
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