Kept!

Kept!

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalms 18:2 NIV

The Inspiration:

Placing a demand on resources you have not spent time gathering can be a waste of time sometimes. The mercy of God has made some things available to every person on the face of the earth, but there is a dimension that is only revealed to those who have surrendered their lives to Jesus and accepted Him as Lord and Saviour. David who wrote this psalm had a clear understanding of this fact, and we see His relationship with God shine through all the songs he wrote. He also knew that walking with God is first internal before the benefits and blessings are seen on the external. Too many times, we want to keep up appearances, focusing on signs and symbols at the expense of a personal encounter with God. I must not settle for anything less than God's best; I must not seek to live anywhere outside of God's demand for all who seek to follow Him. 

The Contention:

As David said in this verse before us, can I make the same pronouncements? Can I say, without the risk of being found out to be a liar, that God is all I have or need? As I read the verse, I note that God is described in both offensive and defensive options. He is a rock, fortress and deliverer. He is the place of safety and rest, as well as the place of strategy. A fortress enables you rest and recuperate as you plan the next offensive. He teaches me to war, but He also provides a place of refreshment and rest. He is also a shield, a stronghold and the horn of salvation. Check out the very personal terms David used in laying out his relationship with God: he used MY a lot. This showed that David wasn't giving hearsay evidence, but direct evidence, from a place of intimacy with God.

The Conclusion:

If my life will make sense, I must seek and find the same level of intimacy with God. The stories of other people are great, as long as they motivate me to seek God for myself. There is a limit to using other people's stories; I have to write my own. A stronghold is also a place that featured prominently during the lifetime of David. It was a place he would go to after fighting, or after he had experienced trouble. I must do the same; I must have a place in God where I can go tp any time the world is threatening my peace. I simply go in, and as God has promised, His arms are open wide to me. He wants to help, keep, bless and protect, but I have to let Him be God. What is the use of knowing God as all these and not taking advantage of the benefits? He waits for you and I. God's time of favour is here.