"But I will sing of Your strength, in the morning I will sing of Your love; for You are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble." (Psalm 59:16, NIV
The intro in the NIV says, "For the director of music. To the tune of 'Do Not Destroy.' Of David.....When Saul had sent men to watch David's house in order to kill him." And we must not think that it is just David who lives under this sort of threat.
The Psalms of David were not written for Bible study classes, Sunday School quarterlies, or devotionals. They were written in life for life, in the midst of his day to day struggle in a hostile environment, the reality of, "We wrestle...against principalities and power...." Sometimes I wonder just how seriously we take this.
David was sort of like Patton, "I need a prayer, a weather prayer." In other words, I need something now in this very difficult and even life-threatening moment. Again, "But I will sing of Your power; yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; for You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble" (NKJV). And notice that this worship-supplication Psalm was to be written down, so that succeeding generations, pursued and hunted by the enemy, could cry it out.
Prayer will not be a "have-to" religious obligation when we realize that much of prayer is a cry for help. Worship, petition, entreaties, supplication, all are a part of it. In this world of struggle, a struggle against the Enemy of man, physical, mental, emotional struggles, enter PRAYER, not high sounding, not a "How-To-Pray" prayer, rather prayers of, "Deliver me from my enemies, O God; be my fortress against those who are attacking me" (v.1).
Father, Son Jesus, and Holy Spirit "have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble," not when just when I get to church, or to the Bible Study, or to the praise gathering. Right now, right here/there, when the men are outside your house waiting to kill you, "....I will sing of Your power; yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy...."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You that You are not a just-certain-times god. You are God of every moment, "....Very Present...." Amen.
**************************
Off to DC
The intro in the NIV says, "For the director of music. To the tune of 'Do Not Destroy.' Of David.....When Saul had sent men to watch David's house in order to kill him." And we must not think that it is just David who lives under this sort of threat.
The Psalms of David were not written for Bible study classes, Sunday School quarterlies, or devotionals. They were written in life for life, in the midst of his day to day struggle in a hostile environment, the reality of, "We wrestle...against principalities and power...." Sometimes I wonder just how seriously we take this.
David was sort of like Patton, "I need a prayer, a weather prayer." In other words, I need something now in this very difficult and even life-threatening moment. Again, "But I will sing of Your power; yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; for You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble" (NKJV). And notice that this worship-supplication Psalm was to be written down, so that succeeding generations, pursued and hunted by the enemy, could cry it out.
Prayer will not be a "have-to" religious obligation when we realize that much of prayer is a cry for help. Worship, petition, entreaties, supplication, all are a part of it. In this world of struggle, a struggle against the Enemy of man, physical, mental, emotional struggles, enter PRAYER, not high sounding, not a "How-To-Pray" prayer, rather prayers of, "Deliver me from my enemies, O God; be my fortress against those who are attacking me" (v.1).
Father, Son Jesus, and Holy Spirit "have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble," not when just when I get to church, or to the Bible Study, or to the praise gathering. Right now, right here/there, when the men are outside your house waiting to kill you, "....I will sing of Your power; yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy...."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You that You are not a just-certain-times god. You are God of every moment, "....Very Present...." Amen.
**************************
Off to DC
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
