30 Days of Hearing God, Day 23

Make sure you read all the way to the end of this post for a very important announcement!
__________________________________________________

Throughout this last month of summer and into this first week of school, I’ve continued to sort of meander around the Bible during my daily prayer time. I find it challenging to do a structured study when life, itself, is so unstructured, don’t you? Structured studies must coincide with the school calendar, and break for Christmas, Easter and Summer, the way God intended. I’m sure there is scripture somewhere to support this.

So, in my meandering of late, I’ve wandered into the book of Psalms, starting in chapter one a few days ago and reading a few chapters each day. Today, I got to Psalm 18 and, suddenly, had a high school flashback. I was 17 years old, a senior. I was just beginning to get serious about possibly, maybe, at some point, making some kind of long-term commitment to Jesus. I was confused about what that meant, partly because of immaturity and partly because of inaccurate instruction. Afraid God was going to like totally screw up my life, make me plain and ugly, refuse to give me a husband, and call me to Africa to be a missionary, I hesitantly walked around the perimeter of Christianity; observing cautiously, but failing to commit completely.

I did, however, own a black pleather King James Version of the Bible, and I tried to read it daily. It didn’t make a lot of sense to me—felt more like reading an encyclopedia or a dictionary than it did God’s word, honestly. But I did like the book of Revelation (which still doesn’t make a lot of sense to me) and the book of Psalms.

So, in my reading this morning, I came to Psalm 18, where I was mentally teleported back to very day I discovered this Psalm in my bedroom. I was having problems with some Friends-Turned-Mean. I mean, REALLY mean. Mean–as in, spreading lies about me, snickering at me in the hallways, and threatening to kick my booty–mean. I was confused, sad and scared. I had no idea what I did to make them turn on me like Vipers. Not trusting anyone with my inner fears, I talked to God, alone in my bedroom. I told Him all about my Mean Friends and asked if He would help me. And that’s when I found Psalm 18—an entire Psalm about defeating my enemies! I underlined, starred and highlighted every verse. I probably put some hearts and smiley faces around it, too. Being 17-years-old, and all. I read that Psalm every day, excited that God was going to crush these Evil Girls! I especially liked the verses that said,

40Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me. 41They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not. 42Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.

Hee hee.  That makes me giggle just thinking of young 17-year-old-Me believing God would “give me the necks” of the Mean Girls, and help me “beat them small as the dust before the wind.” It’s a beautiful thing…the innocent faith of a child, eh?

I don’t have any Mean Girls to crush today, but I do have some enemies: Fear. Insecurity. Depression. Stress. Lack of Time, Confusion, Pain, Pride…they and others whisper lies about me, snicker at me and threaten to kick my booty. And here I am again, 25 years later, alone in my bedroom talking to God about it…

Today, what strikes me about this Psalm, is how David credits God for every single aspect of his victory. Even though David was out there physically fighting, God was all over David equipping and strengthening him for the battle.

Check out what David ascribes to God:

God—

Keeps my lamp burning

Turns my darkness into light

Helps me advance against a troop and scale over a wall

Arms me with strength

Makes my way perfect

Makes my feet like the feet of a deer

Enables me to stand on the heights

Trains my hands for battle so my arm can bend a bow of bronze

Gives me a shield of victory

Sustains me with His right hand

Stoops down to make me great

Broadens the path beneath me so my ankles don’t turn

Arms me with strength for battle

Makes my adversaries bow at my feet

Makes my enemies turn back in flight

Delivers me from the attacks of the people

Makes me the head of nations

Avenges me

Saves me from my enemies

Subdues nations under me

Exalts me above my foes

Rescues me from violent men

Gives his king great victories

Shows unfailing kindness to me and to my descendants.

After reading that, I’m confident God isn’t going to like totally screw up my life today.

_____________________________________________________

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What is God saying to you? Please share!!!