August 8, 2013

Ps 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

:2 When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell.

:3 Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident.

:4 One thing I have desired of the Lord that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.

:5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.

:6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enenies all around me; therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

:7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

:8 When You said, “ Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”

:9 Do not hide Your face from me; do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation.

:10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take care of me.

:11 Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.

:12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and such as breathe out violence.

:13 I would have lots heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

:14 Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say on the Lord!

My bible says this is an exuberant declaration of faith by David.

Where do you turn to first when your world starts to fall apart and fear raises its ugly head in your heart? Your spouse? A friend? Is the Lord your first thought or a last resort? Stress and fear are reminders to turn to the Lord first.

David had learned that lesson. God didn't just give David light, deliverance and security. God was all those things to David. David trusted in the Lord Himself, not just in what the Lord was able to do.

One of the best ways to bolster your courage is to remind yourself of who God is and to reaffirm your trust in Him. Let God know what you need. Finally, wait on the Lord. That's the hardest part isn't it? I am not great at waiting in general. I get stressed and impatient. I try to always be on time for things. I think it shows respect for the other person and that you value their time. Waiting on the Lord though should be different. You know what time you have an appointment or what time you are supposed to meet friends. God doesn't give a specific time. While waiting on the Lord, it should be a time of peace and rest. His timing is perfect. Ours isn't.