Tuesday the 20th

Psalm 59: ⁶ They return at evening, snarling like dogs, and prowl about the city. ⁷ See what they spew from their mouths—
       they spew out swords from their lips, and they say, "Who can hear us?" ⁸ But you, O LORD, laugh at them; you scoff at all those nations.  ⁹ O my Strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress, ¹⁰ my loving God. God will go before me and will let me gloat over those who slander me.

David is speaking of people who are conspiring to kill him, or bring him down. I think we all can relate to how David feels. We all have people in our lives who are circling us. For whatever reason they have chosen us as the target for their frustrations. We know all to well what David means by they spew swords form their mouth, and we understand the arrogance of David’s enemy, for our enemies also attack, and speak out against us with no reluctance. As if they will not have to answer for the words they speak. Notice though, David runs to his one place of shelter, he runs to the Lord. David knows that God will go fight those who might stand against him. David is well aware that as re are reminded in Hebrews 4 “nothing in all of creation is hidden from God’s sight, all is uncovered, and laid bare before the eyes of the one that we must all give account”. In short, two wrongs do not make a right, David sees no reason to go out and return the favor of malicious words, or deeds. David turns it all over to God, and he knows that God will take care of it. That is the key to it all. He does not hope, he does not think, he does not assume. He watches for God, he calls God his fortress, He calls God his strength. These are not words of a man who has a good hunch that things will work out. They are words of a man who has faith. David proclaims God to be the solution, the place to go in time of need, the righter of wrongs, and the shelter in battle. He knows that without fail God will go out before him, and make the path clear. What a great God we serve, but do we allow that much faith into our hearts? Do we live not with the hunch, but with the expectation that God is going to bat for us? If we think of this in the reverse, how would we feel if God just hoped we loved Him? What about if God just kinda sort of really hoped we did the right thing, but if not well there is always next time? Sounds pretty uninvolved doesn’t it? Sort of makes God out to be a flake huh? God expects us to love Him, He is jealous for us! He expects us to do the right thing, because He made us in His image. So do you think that He does not expect you to have the same expectations of Him?  I boldly proclaim that I  do expect God to love me, I expect Him to take care of me, to shelter me, to go out before me and clear my path, so that I might love Him all the more. Does that sound blasphemous to you? It should not! God has promised each and every one of us that He will do just that, and God is a promise keeper. So take heart! Yes people will spew out swords from their mouths, yes people will plot to hurt you for no reason that you are the easiest target to get to, yes, you will have challenges in your life that seem insurmountable. But remember this Psalm, remember that God is with you, He is your fortress, your strength, and He loves you! Allow that faith to take hold, allow God to do what He does best, Love you, and take care of you. He will go before you, but that can’t happen until you get out of His way!

God Bless,

Brian Thetford