My thoughts were torn this morning; two different places in this Psalm beckoned me to meditate.
First came the opening. God had come through. David’s enemies had turned back and David was thanking and praising God for this. I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High. My enemies turn back; they stumble and perish before you. David’s thanks-filled heart authored this Psalm.
When the Lord comes through do I say’ thank You’? This is what I wondered. This is where I paused. My heart was warmed by David’s thankful heart. Like the healed leper in Luke 17:11ff who returned to Jesus, David thanked the Lord for saving him.
Lord, enlarge my heart with gratefulness and thankfulness to You and to others who do kindnesses for me…
After a few moments, I turned to my second stopping place, verse 9: The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
Here I marveled at the character of the Lord, a refuge for the oppressed and a stronghold for people in trouble (parallelism of Hebrew poetry tells me the trouble is trouble inflicted upon them by others). Such is the Lord. He seeks and saves. He cares and helps.
Even as my heart began to offer praise to the Lord for this trait, which I have experienced, I also began to examine myself to see if this ‘God-likeness’ characteristic lives in me!
My answer? Much less so in me! I am not near as gracious and helpful of those in need.
I realize how MUCH more work the Holy Spirit needs to do in me in order to shape my heart to be like the Lord’s. It seems, sometimes, that the longer I walk with Jesus, the more work in my life God still needs to do in me!!!
Lord, I give You permission to do whatever work You determine is needed to help me conform more closely to Your character and will. Spirit sanctify me, that I might better and more clearly reflect the character of my Lord Jesus to the world. Father may You be delighted and praised through the manner in which I live.
Praise be to You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment