By Him!

By Him!

Psalms 4:8 AMP

[8] In peace [and with a tranquil heart] I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety and confident trust.

David is credited with the words of this psalm, and as we now know, David was a man who knew how to articulate his challenges as well as his struggles and victories. He would sing about the times he was in trouble and God delivered him, and he would also sing about the times he was not at his best, but God came through for him. He also had songs about asking for God's mercy after he had done wrong to one of his fighting officers. In all of these, the heart of David was drawn to God at all times. It is not a wonder, then, that God could say that David was a man after His own heart. Can God say this about me, in this current clime? Does God hold my heart so much that all my life produces makes men see Him in and through me? Can I say, of a truth, and without any hypocrisy, pretence or eye-service, that God is all I have or look up to? 

Like David, God is still in the business of  blessing lives that are fully committed to Him. He is not looking for people who are perfect from the outset, but for those who can trust Him to perfect them, as they trust Him. His blessings, like rain, come on both the wicked and the good, but there is a deeper layer for those who have given their lives to Him for safe-keeping. Many wicked people will sleep at night and still wake up hale and hearty the next day, because God is not invested in the death of a sinner, but that they come to full repentance from sin, and restoration of all that had been lost. David's life shows this truth, and if God could show mercy to a man who killed a soldier and then took over his wife, you know that there is no one so far gone that s/he is beyond God's grace. David got his punishment, but God's mercy was not taken away from him.

The blood of Jesus cannot fail to deal with the stain of sin, no matter how deep it goes, how far it has spread or to how many people it has impacted. The blood of Jesus brings peace and reconciliation, and the effect of these is the inner calm that follows. There was a raging storm outside, but Jesus was asleep on the boat. Confident, calm and absolute assurance in the ability of God to keep and preserve from evil. Many will lie down and struggle to find sleep, but for the one God has helped, s/he will both lie down and sleep in peace. It is God who has the power and capacity to do both; He is the only One who can make such promises of safety and protection, and also keep them. You cannot give to another that which you are not, or that which you do not have. God is all I need. I trust Him with my life. Would you do the same? God's time of favour is here.