As we read the stories about God delivering His people over centuries of time since the very beginning of creation, we learn that He is God and we are not.  God’s love has never changed and will not change.  God’s love and care of His people is eternal.  His love never stops, never changes and never gives up on us!  Since the sin decision of Adam and Eve, our imperfect world, challenges our walk with God every day. 

This daily battle is led by the Prince of Darkness, the fallen angel thrown out of heave because he wanted to be God and take charge.  Satan is tenaciously bent on snatching us away from the One who loves us most—God.  But his powers are limited.  He uses shiny objects of pride, ego and greed as a few of his distracting tricks to take our focus from God to ourselves.  Once we focus on self, the attack becomes stronger still to destroy who we are as children of the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Saul is a fallen child of God who seeks to destroy David who has now been called of God and anointed by Samuel, God’s priest, to lead the nation of Israel.  Saul’s pride, ego and greed has affected his mental state leading him to a hunger for the murder of David.  Saul is now the enemy of David.  The Spirit of God has left Saul because for Saul, life is all about Saul and has nothing to do with God.  This is the back story of David’s song today. 

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 59, The Message

A David Psalm, When Saul Set a Watch on David’s House in Order to Kill Him

^1-2 My God! Rescue me from my enemies,
    defend me from these mutineers.
Rescue me from their dirty tricks,
    save me from their hit men.

^3-4 Desperadoes have ganged up on me,
    they’re hiding in ambush for me.
I did nothing to deserve this, God,
    crossed no one, wronged no one.
All the same, they’re after me,
    determined to get me.

^4-5 Wake up and see for yourself! You’re God,
    God-of-Angel-Armies, Israel’s God!
Get on the job and take care of these pagans,
    don’t be soft on these hard cases.

^6-7 They return when the sun goes down,
    They howl like coyotes, ringing the city.
    Then suddenly they’re all at the gate,
    Snarling invective, drawn daggers in their teeth.
    They think they’ll never get caught.

^8-10 But you, God, break out laughing;
    you treat the godless nations like jokes.
Strong God, I’m watching you do it,
    I can always count on you.
God in dependable love shows up on time,
    shows me my enemies in ruin.

^11-13 Don’t make quick work of them, God,
    lest my people forget.
Bring them down in slow motion,
    take them apart piece by piece.
Let all their mean-mouthed arrogance
    catch up with them,
Catch them out and bring them down
    —every muttered curse
    —every barefaced lie.
Finish them off in fine style!
    Finish them off for good!
Then all the world will see
    that God rules well in Jacob,
    everywhere that God’s in charge.

^14-15 They return when the sun goes down,
    They howl like coyotes, ringing the city.
    They scavenge for bones,
    And bite the hand that feeds them.

^16-17 And me? I’m singing your prowess,
    shouting at cockcrow your largesse,
For you’ve been a safe place for me,
    a good place to hide.
Strong God, I’m watching you do it,
    I can always count on you—
    God, my dependable love.

TRUTH:  God shows up to protect those who love Him.  “I can always count on you”, says David.  We can, too!  God shows up at just the right time.  God knows the time and place to show up.  God knows exactly what we need and when we need it.  We who really believe that God is really real and loves us more than we can imagine can count on this truth!  “God, my dependable love.”

Proverb 20, The Message

Deep Water in the Heart

Wine makes you mean, beer makes you quarrelsome—
    a staggering drunk is not much fun.

² Quick-tempered leaders are like mad dogs—
    cross them and they bite your head off.

³ It’s a mark of good character to avert quarrels,
    but fools love to pick fights.

⁴ A farmer too lazy to plant in the spring
    has nothing to harvest in the fall.

⁵ Knowing what is right is like deep water in the heart;
    a wise person draws from the well within.

WISDOM: “Knowing what is right is like deep water in the heart; a wise person draws from the well within.”  Jesus said, “whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:14, NIV 

Jesus is our well of wisdom within to draw real, eternal life.  Jesus has the solutions to all of life’s problems.  “Ask God for wisdom”, says James, and He will give it. “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5, NIV

Abba Father,

We are so easily distracted by life stuff.  If we pause to settle too long on things of this world, we lose track of You and Your best for us.  I repent of lingering where my thoughts and actions should not be.  Like David prays, “Cast me not away from Your Presence, Oh Lord, but restore the joy of YOUR salvation in me. Renew a right Spirit in me.”  Cleanse my heart, mind and soul.  Make me holy before you.  Help me to hear YOUR voice above all other voices.  Keep me focused on You, first and only.  I love you, Lord with all that is in me.

In Jesus Name, Amen