Life upon Life
For the last couple of days I’ve been processing Psalm 18. I admit I have a bit of disconnect with this Psalm. I am not a ruler, I don’t have evil people chasing me, no one is trying to kill me, I’ve never been to war or been in battle and I don’t plan on crushing anyone to fine dust. I have felt very alone and somewhat threatened. I have had my moments where I have been unsure, incapable of handling pressing circumstances, confused and overwhelmed. Most often I am just weary of dealing with the multitude of life stresses.
And this Psalm speaks hope into my life piled upon life existence.
David reminds me that God is to be my strength (not my next cup of coffee).
God -My God- is to be where I take refuge (not that tasty bowl of ice cream).
God is to be the One who lightens my darkness (not my spouse, or my children, or any other marvelous significant person in my life).
God is the one who equips me (not the latest self-help book I am enjoying).
God is the one who protects me (not my newly purchased “Fashion Armour” from Macys).
I admit I find it way too easy to substitute “stuff,” when God is standing right next to me, longing to fill the trouble space I find in my life. Psalm 18:19b says, “… he rescued me because he delighted in me.” God Almighty, Creator of all I see, Savior, Messiah, the Holy One, the Great I AM → delights in me. I am overwhelmed! It gives one the perfect opportunity to cut loose with a Happy Dance!
Psalm 18:39 says “For you equipped me with strength for the battle…” The Psalmist reminds me that God never promised all easy days or a cushy life. There will be battles AND God will equip me. Woot! I do not need to find ‘stuff’ that I think will sustain and empower me. I am not claiming giv up coffee, my spouse, reading or Macys (please, no Never!). I am stating that I must base who I am, where I find strength and joy, on Christ Alone.
Verse 33 in the Amplified Bible reads, “He makes my feet like hinds feet (able to stand firmly or make progress on the dangerous heights of testing and trouble); He sets me securely upon my high places.” Here the Psalmist reminds me that sometimes I will stand and sometimes I will move. There will be circumstances that just have to be lived through. There are others situations that I can move away from with God’s help or that He will reveal how I can change the situation or He will move in and change it for me. I may be looking all fine and sipping on yet another cup of coffee -but it is God who is doing the real work.
My life piled upon life existence is refreshed this morning as I revel in the morning sunshine and the goodness of a God who loves me. I sing with the Psalmist in 18:36 (NCV) “You give me a better way to live, so I live as You want me to.” I am not a King like David though I am royalty. I am a daughter of the King of Kings- a true Princess who can say, “…the Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer…” (Psalm 18:2a)
