The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 18:1-2,
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!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."
In Acts 13:22 Paul quotes God as saying, "I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do." It is really quite a statement God makes of David! Could you picture the Creator of all things, the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob saying such a thing of you? Of me? David was a man after God's own heart in such a way that God claimed it before us all in the Scriptures! It is a statement of God acknowledging that David was worthy of his acceptance, that David was worthy or competent to be recognized by God.
What made David so unusual that God would make such a statement about him? There are not many of these kinds of endorsements by God of individuals - Abraham and Job come to mind (I'm sure there are others... do you know of any?).
Certainly a big part of David's recognition by God had to do with what others who had been recognized by God, such as Abraham, Job and others, shared with David: David was a man of deep and abiding faith! The beginning verses of Psalm 18 make clear David's confidence, trust and faith in God:
David considered and claimed the Lord was his strength.
David considered and claimed the Lord was his "rock", his steady foundation.
David considered and claimed the Lord was his fortress (the place of protection).
David considered and claimed the Lord was his deliverer (that the Lord was the One who saved him from peril).
David considered and claimed the Lord was his refuge, his place to go during times of danger.
David considered and claimed the Lord was his shield (again, his protection).
David considered and claimed the Lord was his "horn of salvation", that is, the strength of his salvation.
David provides his own testimony to these things as he faced danger, "He [the Lord] reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me." Verses 16-19.
I'm sure we have all heard the criticisms of big, rough and tumble guys that, unlike many of us, don't need a crutch in life to get them through. They are quite capable of making it on their own, thank you very much. You know, the crew that intends to have a beer together in Hell when the day comes. (From what we know of David, tough guys today are milquetoasts compared to David.)
Yet, when their bodies lie in the grave, helpless and hopeless, they will have to stand before the One to whom we all must give account, Hebrews 4:13, God's great judgment throne, and explain just why it is they should not be cast into that fiery lake of burning sulfur, Revelation 21:8.
No one on that day will not find a need to possess what David had in the Lord while still in this life! It is only in this life when embracing the Lord in faith as David did, in the way he did, that makes a difference for all eternity!
In Acts 13:22 Paul quotes God as saying, "I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do." It is really quite a statement God makes of David! Could you picture the Creator of all things, the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob saying such a thing of you? Of me? David was a man after God's own heart in such a way that God claimed it before us all in the Scriptures! It is a statement of God acknowledging that David was worthy of his acceptance, that David was worthy or competent to be recognized by God.
What made David so unusual that God would make such a statement about him? There are not many of these kinds of endorsements by God of individuals - Abraham and Job come to mind (I'm sure there are others... do you know of any?).
Certainly a big part of David's recognition by God had to do with what others who had been recognized by God, such as Abraham, Job and others, shared with David: David was a man of deep and abiding faith! The beginning verses of Psalm 18 make clear David's confidence, trust and faith in God:
David considered and claimed the Lord was his strength.
David considered and claimed the Lord was his "rock", his steady foundation.
David considered and claimed the Lord was his fortress (the place of protection).
David considered and claimed the Lord was his deliverer (that the Lord was the One who saved him from peril).
David considered and claimed the Lord was his refuge, his place to go during times of danger.
David considered and claimed the Lord was his shield (again, his protection).
David considered and claimed the Lord was his "horn of salvation", that is, the strength of his salvation.
David provides his own testimony to these things as he faced danger, "He [the Lord] reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me." Verses 16-19.
I'm sure we have all heard the criticisms of big, rough and tumble guys that, unlike many of us, don't need a crutch in life to get them through. They are quite capable of making it on their own, thank you very much. You know, the crew that intends to have a beer together in Hell when the day comes. (From what we know of David, tough guys today are milquetoasts compared to David.)
Yet, when their bodies lie in the grave, helpless and hopeless, they will have to stand before the One to whom we all must give account, Hebrews 4:13, God's great judgment throne, and explain just why it is they should not be cast into that fiery lake of burning sulfur, Revelation 21:8.
No one on that day will not find a need to possess what David had in the Lord while still in this life! It is only in this life when embracing the Lord in faith as David did, in the way he did, that makes a difference for all eternity!
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!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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