Word of Encouragement (11/15/2023)
And David spoke to the LORD the words of this song on the day when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. 2 He said, "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, 3 my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. (2 Sam. 22:1-3)
David wrote this song of prayer “when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.” Our lives can be quite stressful and overwhelming. When we wake up in the morning, our minds race with the thoughts of all the things we must do and finish, the crises we must deal with, the crises that are on the horizon, etc. So, our prayers are replete with petitions and cries of “Oh, help me, God!” As there is no end to our responsibilities, deadlines, and crises, there is no end to our petitions. We are blessed to have a God, who is merciful and compassionate toward us and patiently listens to our endless requests. He does not despise our neediness. He delights when we come to him with our needs and troubles.
But what do we do when God grants a time of peace and tranquility? Do we do what David did when God granted him a time of peace from all his enemies? Or are we too busy enjoying ourselves that we forget how, by whose grace and mercy, we got to where we are? We are so desperate and needy when we want something. But when God graciously answers our petition, we act as though it happened by chance. Even when we remember to thank God, our thanks are only too cursory; we forget how desperate we were and how urgent our prayer was. Is God not entitled to our heartfelt gratitude—as earnest as we were when we sought God, if not more?
When was the last time you surveyed all that God had done for you and offered a prayer or song of thanksgiving? From time to time, we walk down memory lane and reminisce about the happy moments and pleasant times. When we do that, do we not feel the warmth of gratitude rising in our hearts, giving us a sense of peaceful contentment? If we happen to be stressed or sad, doesn’t it help us cherish our lives and encourage us not to give up? Shouldn’t it be a delightful and comforting exercise to reminisce about all the goodness God has shown to us and rescued us from our troubles?
When we sincerely thank God, we etch deep into our memory the kindness God has shown to us. The more such etchings we have in our memory, the more confident our trust in the Lord will be. When we run into another trouble, we will not be so shaken by doubt and confusion. Remembering how God has brought us through “many dangers, toils, and snares,” we will be able to steady our faltering steps and walk by faith. When we walk by faith that way, we bring honor to the Lord and He is delighted. Let us take some time to survey what God has done for us and give thanks to Him!