- araratchurch
- Apr 12, 2022
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 18, 2022
“They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the Lord was my support. He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me.”
Psalms 18:18-19 NKJV
It was my first or second year in college and I was in the library. Now, the library is very old and had (at that time) a very old, VERY small, elevator. Well, one evening while I was there looking up reference material, I suddenly felt like I could not go up another flight of stairs. However, I needed to go back up into the “stacks” (rows of shelves, tightly arranged, wherein one may seek the elusive, pivotal, reference source) one more time before leaving. So, I stepped into what would prove to be a “Twilight Zone” experience (are you hearing the music?); I decided that I would risk the elevator. Now, when I tell you that the elevator is small, you may get a visual of maybe three or four people being able to comfortably move around in it, but—unless my memory has failed me—this would be tight for two people. I pushed the button and began going up: “chunka, chunka, chunka” (at this point I am wondering if I am over the load limit for this elevator), and then, the elevator totally stopped! (As an aside, I might mention that many members of my mother’s family suffer with claustrophobia—I am not claiming this—but it’s information I thought you needed to have.) To be honest with you, I don’t remember how long I was in there or how the elevator started back up. I literally have “blanked” on it. All I know is how I felt when it stopped, and that it did, somehow, start back up. I never got back on it again. Ever.
Now, whether you suffer from claustrophobia or not, feeling closed in, is not a pleasant feeling. What I mean by, “closed in” is that you are being restricted from what you want/need to do. Suddenly, a tight space, perceived as being tolerable in one circumstance, becomes intolerable if you think there is no way out.
Let’s take the concept of being closed in to another level now (no, I’m not going to talk about seatbelts here; but I really, really, want to).
If you are of my age, you probably saw a lot of westerns growing up. One of the scenarios you would see, more than once, is when there is one group of men on horses being furiously pursued by another group of men on horses. The guys being pursued begin to get ahead; it looks like they will get away! However, their escape route is now taking them through hills on either side. Suddenly, they find themselves in (yes, you may have guessed it ) a box canyon. There is no way out! They are caught!
Even if you’ve never been literally confined, with no way of escape, I can probably guess that you have been in situations where you felt that way. It can be a lonely, terrifying, place; but there is hope.
In our portion of Psalms today we see that David—while extolling the mighty power of God (having been delivered from the wrath of Saul and his armies)—talks about the fact that God has taken him out into a “broad place.” In other words, he was no longer trapped! He had been set free from seemingly inevitable destruction by his enemies!
This sentiment—regarding being released from certain destruction into the safety of a broad place— is reiterated in other psalms:
“I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, For You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities, And have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a wide place.”
Psalms 31:7-8 NKJV
“I called on the Lord in distress; The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.”
Psalms 118:5 NKJV
Sometimes, our “tight place”
is the result of our own doings, having allowed ourselves to enter into temptation.
“But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.”
James 1:14 NKJV
Other times, the enemy of our souls may have managed to make us feel closed in with no way out. But, whatever the reason for feeling trapped, the answer is the same. When we cry out to our mighty God, He will hear and He will make a way of escape.
“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
I Corinthians 10:13 NKJV
For today let us know and understand what David knew:
The Lord won’t allow the enemy to keep you trapped.
- araratchurch
- Apr 12, 2022
- 3 min read
“In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, even to His ears. Then the earth shook and trembled; The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken, Because He was angry. Smoke went up from His nostrils, And devouring fire from His mouth; Coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down With darkness under His feet. And He rode upon a cherub, and flew; He flew upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness His secret place; His canopy around Him was dark waters And thick clouds of the skies. From the brightness before Him, His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire. The Lord thundered from heaven, And the Most High uttered His voice, Hailstones and coals of fire. He sent out His arrows and scattered the foe, Lightnings in abundance, and He vanquished them. Then the channels of the sea were seen, The foundations of the world were uncovered At Your rebuke, O Lord, At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils. He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me, For they were too strong for me.”
Psalms 18:6-17 NKJV
Well, you’ve already heard my story about the little potbelly pig and huge Great Dane that would often be seen on the lam together. Apparently, they were from the same household. When they would escape, they could be seen nonchalantly going up and down the street near where I lived. No one, no other animals, dared mess with the little pig because that mighty Great Dane was with him.
Now, I can’t imagine anybody not liking the feeling of being with someone or something that can protect you from harm, something/someone seen as being powerful.
Look at the case of a “weakling” hanging out with a “tough guy” to keep from being picked on. He isn’t powerful, but feels safe because of the powerful company he keeps.
Then there’s the phenomenon of people going out and getting a dog known for being a “vicious” breed. You can tell that they like it when people are afraid of their dog; it apparently makes them feel more powerful. And we don’t have time here to go through all the different types of weapons people carry—powerful weapons—meant to scatter their enemies.
Sadly, no matter how powerful the weapon or the company you keep, there’s always somebody, something, more powerful. Unless, your “bodyguard” is the Lord.
In our portion from Psalms today we see David painting quite the visual of God’s power and might. Psalm 18 was actually his response to the Lord delivering him from Saul and his armies. David describes something comparable to an atomic blast! He knew how all the “odds” were against him; he knew the danger of being out of favor with a powerful man like King Saul. But, he had seen over and over in his life how the awesome power of God could save him, whether the foe be a lion, bear, giant, or even the King!
No matter what you are facing, no matter how scary the enemy looks, remember, when the Lord is on your side, there is no greater power that can get through Him, to get to you.
For today let us know and understand what David knew:
The Lord is mighty and He is mighty to save.
- araratchurch
- Apr 9, 2022
- 3 min read
“I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God; Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech. Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand, O You who save those who trust in You From those who rise up against them.”
Psalms 17:6-7 NKJV
Have you ever been in a relationship with someone where it seemed that they were always testing you out?Always trying to see if you were going to be loyal to them or not? These same people will often talk at length about those who have let them down. And, it may be the case that they have been repeatedly let down. But you somehow get the feeling that they’re using this is kind of an emotional blackmail, warning that you better not let them down! Additionally, every way in which they approach you says, “You’re going to let me down!” Needless to say, these people often make their fear of being let down a self-fulfilling prophecy. As I have said before, no relationship can last that is always on trial.
Sadly, some people approach the Lord in the same way. He is always on trial. They ask assuming He won’t answer. They take any delay as being a denial. The Lord gets added to their list of disappointing relationships.
The fact that the Creator of the universe is willing to listen to us, boggles my mind! How dare we deal with Him as though He is not to be trusted? And yet—even with those who do treat Him that way—the Lord is patient. But make no mistake, the Lord will not continue to reach out to the one who will not believe Him.
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
Hebrews 11:6 NKJV
The enemy of your soul, working through your circumstances, through your experience, through your hurts, will try to make it appear that God doesn’t listen and will not act on your behalf. He wants you to be suspect of the Lord. Face it, he knows all too well how he has been defeated over and and over again by people who ask God, believing He will answer!
In our portion from Psalms today we see that David approached the Lord knowing that he would be heard and that the Lord would answer him. At the same time, we know that there were times (as we have discussed) when David felt that the Lord was somehow hiding His face from him. But, he did not allow this to become what defined their relationship. At the end of the day, David always remembered that God was a good Father Who had answered him before and Who would answer him again!
“Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; And attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, For You will answer me.”
Psalms 86:6-7 NKJV
You may have been through a lot of “let-downs;” you probably have. You may have—at some point—struggled to believe. But, as you better come to know the Lord as being a good Father Who is personally interested in your well-being, you will always conclude that God will hear and He will help!
For today let us know and understand what David knew:
The Lord must be approached with the confidence that He will hear you and act on your behalf.