In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears. Psalm18:6
Fellow Believers who are the Lord’s delight,
This week brought me such blessing as I read His word. It frequently speaks of His greatness, revealing another nuance of His character and being! Hear this familiar verse of Psalm 18 speak again to your heart just as it did to mine when out of my distress, “I called on the LORD, He heard my cry for help, my cry for help came before Him into His ears! Such a slight difference in wording brings out this wonder of wonders…. Our cry comes into His ears! He does not just hear our cry, God embraces it. Doesn’t this powerfully suggest His love? Think of times when you were talking to another person and they may ‘hear’ you talking but in actuality they are not listening. There is no God like our God. His word is full of light for those who want to follow our LORD for it wonderfully speaks to us wherever we are at in our journey.
He bowed the heavens also, and came down…
The LORD also thundered in the heavens… He sent from on high, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, (18:9, 13,16-17)
David shouts that God came busting forth to rescue him from all that would drown him!
David wrote this after a terrible time of testing. King Saul pursued David to kill him and he was forced to live in caves, open fields and the hills to escape Saul’s satanic pursuit.
The words of David’s song (Psalm 18) portray his story. Verse 19 which states the amazing truth that enabled David to hang on; has impacted me deeply.
He brought me forth also into a broad place;
He rescued me, because He delighted in me.
How can this Holy God, the Most High, Creator of the Universe, care so much for foolish humans? And foolish me reacted this week doing a foolish thing.
Yes, I had been up most of the night at the hospital, after my husband’s ambulance ride and was exhausted emotionally and physically. But this is not an excuse to give into the old sin nature and lose control. Leaving the hospital, (I just wanted to be home) I should have met with serious consequences and shame; and ill-will from one I love. Instead God rescued me. With mere inches to spare he rescued me from backing into a car in the parking ramp because of my ill temper! The truth of God’s rescue washed over me again and again in the following days, humbling me far more than if I had experienced the consequences of my poor attitude. I was thinking about it while walking the next day and it caused me to weep as I was overcome by such love poured out on me! I cried out ”Why do you bother with us humans? With such a foolish child as me?” Instantly sensing His Presence I quieted and heard two words:
“My Promises”.
Wow! Every word of God is pure; He is a shield unto them who put their trust in Him. Prov 30:5
God loves because that is who He is. God is faithful and cannot break His word because that is who He is.
Pastor JJ:
“God’s grace will humble us far more than our sin does.”
Now I know the truth of this simple statement! Grace is bestowed, not earned and it has power to bring you to your knees!
The devil understands the power that is behind such preciousness in God’s eyes.DW Satan is out to kill, steal and destroy and discourage us in our walk. Believing God delights in us is a source of awesome power and peace and rest. Satan will remind us of our sin. Cause us to doubt we are loved. He will cause you to question how God could love such a one as you, who always falls short of pleasing Him, God has to be disappointed in you for all your failures! Or the enemy may suggest that if God delighted in you, why would He allow the troubles you have had to deal with in the past year? Choose to focus on Psalm 18 not on past failure. David realized this awesome, Almighty God, rescued him because He delighted in David. And David in faith has embraced this God-love. Amazingly this Holy God delights in us too!
What a joyful life ours is, continually proving His tenderness in the very little things. There is nothing too small for Him to help. He is indeed a Barrier between us and our pursuers. How precious is His lovingkindness. ac
Psalm 18 states that God Himself
He hears us because He delights in us!
He rescues us because He delights in us!
He is our stay, because He delights in us!
He delivers us because He delights in us!
He strengthens us because He delights in us!
Let the ‘verbs’ in Psalm 18 encourage you today. It sets my feet to dancing! Do you believe he loves you? Good! But go a step further “Do you believe He delights in you?” Answer honestly. Ask God to give you faith to believe that you are His treasured possession in which He delights.
Living God, You who delight in your creation. You who are righteous beyond imagining! I want to say I am so thankful for who You are and that You never change. Thank You too for being a God of deliverances and for rescuing your children again and again. Blessed be Your holy Name. My trials are opportunities to prove You are who You say You are…. Savior, Lover of my Soul and beyond my understanding… that You delight in me. O Lord give me faith to believe this and faith for each of my sisters and brothers to truly and deeply believe You treasure them and delight in them, for it will set us free. You alone are Life and Purpose and I give myself to You. Allow me to bring You glory now and forever. In Jesus holy name amen.
Much Love in Jesus,
az
