Healthcare plans, school initiatives, and tax incentives are all designed by men and are for men, but no method of help can fairly assist all those in need. Even more apparent is the fact that man-made programs alone may help our life, but they cannot save our soul. They are the important “B” story to the most important “A” story of God’s grace. Psalm 108 is the grateful expression of David—the king of the land—who gives the proper praise to the proper entity for the action that has taken place. In David’s case, he sees that the freedom of his people is by the conquests of GOD’S HAND, and he has no problem admitting this.
“For Your mercy and loving-kindness are great and high as the heavens! Your truth and faithfulness reach to the skies! Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let Your glory be over all the earth. That Your beloved may be delivered, save with your right hand and answer us!” Psalm 108:4-6
It is abundantly easy to say, “God is the answer” when you have everything in place, but it is hard (and near impossible) to stake your claim in Him when your world is caving in!
If you follow scripture, however, it seems that YOUR PIT is the best time for Him to shine. I believe it is this way because we often see more clearly in our worst moments. We see how fragile our world was anyway, and realize most of our success moments had nothing to do with God and they pale in comparison to the victory we will find, and have found, in Him. So if we turn to Him in utter weakness, He shines out with radiant power.
So…chin up, feet forward, eyes searching, heart praying, look for Him. God will be found. He promises.
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and will bring you back from captivity.” Jeremiah 29:11-14
My Prayer: “God, it sometimes is all too much—life shreds us until we exist in small pieces of hopelessness, but we know from Your word (thank you for it!) that You reign over all things—OVER ALL the earth. You are our ultimate connection to everything that will ever exist of value in our lives. Pound away our tendency to settle for life in the “B” story when YOU are calling us to be about the “A” story –YOUR wonderful grace and power. You are the one who blends the two stories and make us whole. As David asked in the end of this Psalm, I ask you now…
“Give us help against the adversary, for vain is the help of man. Through and with God we do valiantly, for it is He who will tread down our adversaries.” Amen
(Psalm 108: 12-13 NIV)