"Hear my cry, O God, attend unto my prayer. From the
end of the earth will I cry unto Thee. When my heart is
overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I."
Psalm 61:1-2
King David knew all about war and hardship...
end of the earth will I cry unto Thee. When my heart is
overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I."
Psalm 61:1-2
King David knew all about war and hardship...
When he wasn't fighting the Philistines, he was fighting the temptations of his flesh. Or he was fighting his enemies, one of whom was even a member of his own family. David's son, Absalom, wanted his father to die so he could sit on his father's throne.
Poor King David. His own son had been stirring up the people to rebel against him. Here was a man who loved the Lord, and loved his family, yet his own son wanted him dead. No doubt, David was much like the apostle Paul in the New Testament. This being an individual who was "hard pressed on every side" and feeling squeezed from every direction (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).
Nevertheless, no matter what difficulties he was facing, David loved God. Night and day he would pray to and praise the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That's how much David loved the Lord. "Seven times a day do I praise Thee because of Thy righteous judgments," David wrote in one of his psalms (Psalm 119:164).
I could relate to this. Although my situation is not as intense as that of a king or an apostle, it certainly feels intense to me. As both an imprisoned individual and a disciple of Messiah Jesus, I've been through my share of trials. Times when my faith and my patience was tested to the limit, and where the Lord was my only hope.
I've known fear, disappointment, anger, frustration, and worry. I've been shamed by the media for the crimes I committed when I was under Satan's spell. Likewise, I've been falsely accused of crimes I did not commit, as well.
I've been maligned, portrayed as a "monster," and as a "fake" Christian. I've had people take advantage of me, lie about me, and deliberately twist words that I spoke with the best of intentions, and more.
But I have learned to take it all in stride, believing that all these things are useful for my spiritual growth. God used them and is still using them to build up my faith, and my character. "It's all good, because it's all God," as the saying goes.
And it's true. As the Scripture declares, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to the Lord's noble purposes" (Romans 8:28).
D.B.
Poor King David. His own son had been stirring up the people to rebel against him. Here was a man who loved the Lord, and loved his family, yet his own son wanted him dead. No doubt, David was much like the apostle Paul in the New Testament. This being an individual who was "hard pressed on every side" and feeling squeezed from every direction (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).
Nevertheless, no matter what difficulties he was facing, David loved God. Night and day he would pray to and praise the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That's how much David loved the Lord. "Seven times a day do I praise Thee because of Thy righteous judgments," David wrote in one of his psalms (Psalm 119:164).
I could relate to this. Although my situation is not as intense as that of a king or an apostle, it certainly feels intense to me. As both an imprisoned individual and a disciple of Messiah Jesus, I've been through my share of trials. Times when my faith and my patience was tested to the limit, and where the Lord was my only hope.
I've known fear, disappointment, anger, frustration, and worry. I've been shamed by the media for the crimes I committed when I was under Satan's spell. Likewise, I've been falsely accused of crimes I did not commit, as well.
I've been maligned, portrayed as a "monster," and as a "fake" Christian. I've had people take advantage of me, lie about me, and deliberately twist words that I spoke with the best of intentions, and more.
But I have learned to take it all in stride, believing that all these things are useful for my spiritual growth. God used them and is still using them to build up my faith, and my character. "It's all good, because it's all God," as the saying goes.
And it's true. As the Scripture declares, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to the Lord's noble purposes" (Romans 8:28).
D.B.