I confess to you, at times I’ve doubted God’s purpose and promise. I say that to my own embarrassment. When things hadn’t worked as I thought they would, when I received a no instead of a yes . . .
Read MoreCategory Archives: Prayer
Shifting the Stress by Prayer and Rest
If you tend to get caught up in the hurry-worry sindrome, there is a better way to live. In Parts One through Three we talked about some strategies for alleviating stress. Prayer is another relief—an essential therapy during stressful times. I’m reminded of David on one occasion. He and a group of his men returned home after a weary three-day journey.
Read MoreThe Cry from a Cave
The Cave of Adullam was no Holiday Inn. It was a wicked refugee camp . . . a dark vault on the side of a cliff that reached deeply into a hill. Huddled in this clammy cavern were 400 losers—a mob of miserable humanity. They came from all over and wound up all together. Listen to the account: Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered . . . . There were about four hundred men. (1 Samuel 22:2)
Read MoreIn Times of Blessing
Psalm 149 is one of five “praise the Lord” psalms that conclude the Hebrews’ ancient hymnal. Like the other four, it begins with the command “Hallelujah!” leading to a time of exalting God’s goodness. In this case, the people of God are summoned to praise Him in response to three different situations: times of blessing, times of suffering, and times of warfare.
Read MoreRejoice in God
David’s desert song, Psalm 63, contains a decision he hoped would enhance his relationship with the Lord: he decided to rejoice in God. But those who seek my life to destroy it, Will go into the depths of the earth. They will be delivered over to the power of the sword; They will be a prey for foxes. But the king will rejoice in God;
Read MoreMeditation and Singing
In his wilderness experience, David made five decisions that would deepen his connection with God. First, he decided to imagine the Lord’s physical presence. Then he decided to express praise for God out loud. His third decision is to devote himself to a mental discipline many in the twenty-first century do not clearly understand: meditation. He decided to meditate on the Lord (63:6).
Read MoreSatisfaction in Praise
David’s lonely wilderness sanctuary left him thirsty and hungry, not only for food, but for meaningful interaction with his God (Psalm 63:1–2). As his song continues, David describes a second decision he made to cultivate a relationship with the Lord: he decided to express praise to the Lord (63:3–5). Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You.
Read MoreSeeking God’s Help
While David’s first response to fear wasn’t a panicked plea for help, he didn’t live in denial. He merely chose to celebrate God’s power and to recall His past triumphs. Eventually, however, David did ask the Lord for what he needed. No longer panicked, he expressed his desires with intense emotion.
Read MoreFellowship with God
If you read Psalm 15 carefully, you will discover the entire song all hangs upon the first verse. Verse 1 is crucial in that it asks a probing question. That’s today’s devotional. David’s answer forms the rest of the psalm. He then arrives at a wonderful promise. These we’ll look at over the next couple of days.
Read MoreLooking to God
As I read Psalm 13 and reflect on the section describing David on his face, overwhelmed with grief and hopelessness, I see two practical areas of application: 1. It was the length of the test that began to weary David. “How long” occurs four times in two brief verses. Let us remember that God not only designs the depth of our trials but also their length.
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