Hello,
I trust you are having a great start to your week.
I invite you to read, reflect, pray, and digest (apply) the Word with me.
Today, for staff devotionals, we went over Psalm 3. Read with us.
{I recommend listening to Great is Our God by Young Oceans while reading this}
Psalm 3 {NAS}
O LORD, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me. Many are saying of my soul, "There is no deliverance for him in God." Selah. But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head. I was crying to the LORD with my voice, And He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah. I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustains me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me round about. Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God! For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek; You have shattered the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to the LORD; Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah.
Instead of “Salvation”, the version I’m reading lately (Alter's Translation) reads,
“Rescue is the Lord’s”.
Sometimes broad words such as Salvation, Grace, Redemption can get lost in just that, it’s broadness. But here, the word Robert Alter uses in his translation “Rescue” to me is so specific, it’s narrowed down, it’s exactly what David needs from his son Absalom and the many foes that are out to destroy him and rob him of his “birthright”.
Rescue, a very specific thing is what God possesses, this rescue is the Lord's.
What do you need today that you know the Lord and he alone possesses?
It’s interesting isn’t it, he has the monopoly on the very thing you need.
He holds in his hands your _______ (fill in the blank).
Your rescue, your future, your peace, and the list can go on and is often very specific like “rescue”.
We cry, "God I need ______ and I know you have it in your hands, I know you alone possess this. There is no need to go anywhere else, no one else can provide what I’m looking for. So I’ll stop looking and look to you."
But… we also tack onto these prayers expressions of exhausted doubt due to frustration and bewilderment as to why he is holding onto it for so long!
We think, "if this is true that God holds in his possession what I need than why isn’t he giving it to me right now?!"
Perhaps today, we can focus (brew) on another perspective.
Maybe the focus should not be that he is withholding the very thing we need,
instead we may be happy to know
that the very thing we need
is in no other hands
but God’s.
So it’s not always about when we will get what he possesses….
but that he possesses what we need
and therefore
it will never be tarnished, lost, or mishandled.
My salvation, my rescue, my needs are ever held unto by the God who never fumbles nor breaks what’s in his mighty grip.
So, here’s to letting God hold onto things for us.
Here’s to not only waiting patiently but gratefully,
thankful that “it”,
whatever “it” may be,
is in safe hands.
Here’s to a life of preparation (repentance & discipleship)
so that when he does give it to us,
he too can feel good about who’s hand it is in.
Sing with me…
“he’s got the whole world in his hands…
he’s got the whole ______ in his hands…”
Rescue... is the Lord's,
Bryan
