Thursday, March 19

THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015

Numbers 28:16–29:40

Luke 3:23–38

Psalm 62:1–12

Proverbs 11:18,19

 

 

“My soul finds rest in God alone;

                my salvation comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;

                he is my fortress, I will never be shaken…

 

“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;

                my hope comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;

                he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

My salvation and my honor depend on God;

                he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Trust in him at all times, O people;

                pour out your hearts to him,

                for God is our refuge…

 

“One thing God has spoken,

                two things have I heard:

that you, O God, are strong,

                and that you, O Lord, are loving.” (Psalm 62:1,2,5–8,11,12a)

 

 

In this psalm, we find David speaking truth to his own heart.  While God had anointed him as king over all Israel, he faced significant opposition along the way to assuming this role.  Here, conspirators who wish to “topple him from his lofty place” had threatened him.  The words of v. 3 suggest that the author may have grown old, implying that this attack may have come from Saul’s extended family.

 

The first two verses begin with a confession of confidently, tranquilly resting in God, while the last two verses give the reason for such trust.  The psalmist speaks to his own soul, knowing with certainty that his soul may find rest (“silence”) in God alone.  He relies completely on God’s strength and power, declaring God to be his “rock” and “salvation.”  Given this anchor, he “will never be shaken.”  The final two verses declare that God’s love has committed Him to His people’s salvation and flourishing and that His strength guarantees that He is able to do all that He has promised.

 

The psalmist’s words in vv. 5–8 minister powerfully to me.  Here, the psalmist encourages himself to assume an attitude of faith.  He implores himself to “find rest, O my soul, in God alone” and then backs up this exhortation with truth about God’s character.  He finds his “rest” through his “hope” in God’s provision, to which he alludes by calling God his “mighty rock,” “salvation,” fortress,” and “refuge.”  In spite of the challenging circumstances, he has chosen to rest his heart – albeit after self-motivation – in God’s refuge.  He begins with the truth of God’s character and, then springing from his small faith, builds on his trust to stand firm in the shadow of the Almighty.

 

Perhaps we face flesh-and-blood accusers today, as David did.  Other times, however, the battle may wage within our own minds, as Satan (the accuser) manipulates our own negative thoughts to create a tinderbox of self-doubt and distrust in God’s goodness.  Last week, I touched on our choice in these moments:  to trust God and His provision (as David in Psalm 62) or to despair.  We may allow our “automatic negative thoughts” (ANTs) to march dangerously through our minds, reasoning that we have caused (and maybe even deserve) our own pain.  Those ANTs accuse, stifle, frustrate, and destroy the “fearfully and wonderfully made” createdness within us, after the image of God Himself.

 

Encouragingly, however, David gives us a path to victory.  We may invest in this victory by discovering the truth about God’s character through reading His Word and experience and then by speaking this truth into our minds, bolstering our small faith into a greater faith.  We often don’t control our circumstances, but we do have responsibility over our responses to them.  David’s great example indicates how we may respond faithfully to life’s challenges and to experience God’s victory (rooted firmly in His character), to His praise and glory.

 

 

Lord God, thank You for giving us a great example of faith through trials in David.  Build this character of faith and hope in us, allowing us to overcome the accusations that come from the world, our own minds, and from the Evil One.  Bring us victory today so that we may glorify Your Name and that others may see Your victory established in our hearts and minds.  Change our hearts to follow closely after Yours.  Show us that You are indeed our fortress, our rock, and our salvation.  Expand our faith today so that we may trust You more deeply.  We love You, Father!  You are indeed strong and loving.  In Jesus’s Name, amen.

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