“But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I
say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of
my enemies, and from those who persecute me.” Psa: 31: 14-15.
Conflicts seem
to be the package of King David’s life and it seemed they would never end. It
seemed to sap his energy and caused him to rely on another’s strength. 2 Samuel
22:1-51, talks about the testimony of King David in Lyrics with a great
passion. King David presents these words to the Lord, because God has delivered
him from the hand of his enemies in His time; from Absalom his own son, King
Saul and also delivered him from the pit of despair. Some of us can empathize
with King David, and maybe we are facing similar challenges. The focus of this
writing is that we do have a hope, and the hope is in God and in His written
Word, and in the power of His might.
Any Christian
who is attempting to live a life of self-sufficiency may not be able to relate
to having a close personal relationship with God. Claiming God personally is
the most precious right of any believer because of our Risen Savior Jesus
Christ and blessed Calvary. What God has done through Jesus Christ, has given
us the promise of ‘heir’ to His Kingdom as His adopted children. Please visit
the following website to get a glimpse of the meaning of the word ‘heir’.
dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/heir
heir meaning,
definition, what is heir: a person who will legally receive money, property, or
a title from another person…. Learn more.
The
circumstances one faces may be completely different, but we may be in constant
struggle. May be the enemy has succeeded in pushing you into a corner, or being
held in a small place with little hope of escape; and in all this one can be
strengthened by God’s Word. “I will be
glad and rejoice in Your mercy, for You have considered my trouble; You have
known my soul in adversities; and have not shut me up into the hand of the
enemy; You have set my feet in a wide place.” Psa 31: 7-8.
The One who
delivered David from his enemies was the object of his deepest emotions, and he
shared an authentic relationship with the Living God. King David deeply loved
God and he is the man after God’s own heart because of his deep desire to
please God and love Him.
Ecclesiastes 3:
1-8; talks about ‘Times and Seasons’ and to realize God’s promises in our lives
we should set ourselves to God’s heartbeat. When we talk about His heartbeat,
it is His rhythm, sequence, order, structure and timings of our lives. If we
miss His timing by moving too fast or too slow we will fall out of step, and
that will affect everything else in our lives. Can we say that everything in
our lives must be in God’s predetermined time so that we can be effective and
fruitful?
For every
problem and situation in our lives there is a set time for its answer and God
is very much involved in a believer’s situation. We may have to wait for God
and step back because what He is going to do in our lives is a matter of timing
and it is His timing. As we are anxiously asking God for an answer right now,
He is thinking beyond our anxious heart about our requests or His purpose may
be to fine-tune us through adversity. Out of our brokenness is coming something
valuable – a man or a woman after His own heart!
With references
to 2 Samuel 22 and Psalm 18, can we say; God is our strength when we are weak;
He is our Rock when we are on a slippery slope; He is our Deliverer when we are
fenced and trapped by our enemies; He is our strong Fortress when we are crumbling
down to thousand pieces; He is our Refuge when our enemies chases us and
conflicts seem to be part of our package of our life; He is our only shield
when we are exposed to our enemies; and He is our Lord, our God when life spins
out of control in all directions?
We all can say
with one accord that focusing on God alone is hard when life issues spins on a
down ward spiral and spins out of control. King David’s life continuously
challenges each one of us about our walk with God. Are we becoming committed to
God more and more? “For I have kept the
ways of the Lord; and have not wickedly departed from my God?” 2 Sam 22;
22. 2 Samuel 22 shows the history of King David with God, and he has allowed
God to reveal himself in many experiences of life.
Do we actively
build a history with God? Have we done lots of living together with God ever
since our salvation? Can we remember the various times and seasons we have
experienced with the Living God as our Father? Can we genuinely say that our ‘Times are in His hand’? If we believe
can we say, “Lord, teach me the timing
and sequence You have set for my life so that I may dance to Your heartbeat,
for me?”
Can we take encouragement
in the following Word of God?
· O, Lord,
thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest
my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou
hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such
knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Whither
shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If
I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou
art there. If I take the wings of the morning,
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even
there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I
say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night
shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. For
thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I
will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy
works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My
substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously
wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my
substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written,
which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how
great is the sum of them! If I should count
them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me
therefore, ye bloody men. For they speak against thee wickedly, and
thine enemies take thy name in vain. Do not I
hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved
with those that rise up against thee? I hate
them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. Search
me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And
see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Book References:
1.The Matthew Henry Study Bible, ‘King James version’. The best of
Matthew Henry’s Notes in a Handy One Volume Reference Bible. World Bible
Publishers Inc; 1994, Iowa Falls,
U.S.A.
2. Beth Moore. David Seeking A Heart Like His. Life Way Christian resources: Nashville, Tennessee, 2010,
pgs: 206-210.
3. Jay E. Adams. ‘Critical Stages of Biblical Counseling’ Finishing
Well, Breaking Through, Getting Started. (New Jersey: Zondervan, 2002,
p.6-7)
4. Jay E. Adams. ‘How to Help People Change’ The Four-step Biblical
Process. (Grand rapids: Zondervan, 1986, p. 20-28)
5. John
F. MacArthur, JR. Wayne A. Mack & The Master’s College Faculty. ‘Introduction
To Biblical Counseling’. “A Basic Guide To The Principles And Practice Of
Counseling.” (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers,1994, P. 76-77)
6. Jay E. Adams. ‘The Christian Counselor’s Manual, The Practice of
Nouthetic Counseling’. (Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 1973, p. 15-16, 21-23; 92-97)
7. Jay E. Adams. ‘Lectures on Counseling.’ (Grand Rapids: Baker
Book House, 1978, p.192-203)
8.The Holy Bible, New King James version, Women of Destiny Bible. “Women
Mentoring Women Through the Scriptures” A Spirit Filled Life Bible. Thomas
Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, Copyright 1982.
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