Making Enemies - Ruminating in the Word of God

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 heart and mind in Psalm 3:1,

"Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!"

David appears here to be somewhat unexpectant at the number of enemies
he had generated against himself. Perhaps I'm reading a bit much into
this verse, but I can't help but think the inflection in his voice as
he sought the Lord's deliverance from them as being on the order of
"Just look! So many enemies! It is overwhelming to me!"

David certainly could have cultivated many enemies through his
constant warring with neighboring peoples. The politics alone, as
king, would certainly generate enemies, no matter how honorably he
might discharge his duties as king.

However, I think there may be another reason he had amassed such a
number of enemies: he placed himself squarely in the midst of God's
agenda and did those things that the Lord wanted. He was actively
pursuing his part to play in the grand agenda of God - the ultimate
redemption of mankind.

David played a pivotal role in moving the nation in the direction God
wanted to bring his own Son, Jesus Christ, into the world. As God
carried forward his redemption of mankind, David played an early
pivotal role as king of Israel. David was not a perfect man (there has
only been one of those), but he was a man of deep faith. God said of
him, "I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he
will do everything I want him to do." Acts 13:22.

Anyone who chooses to work together with the Lord as he pursues his
agenda of the redemption of mankind will find plenty of opposition,
plenty of enemies.

How about us? can we measure how given we are to God's agenda by the
enemies we generate for that purpose alone?


A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here:
http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/

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!

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