Psalm 3 - 1 (A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.) LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. 2 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. 3 But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. {for: or, about} 4 I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. 5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about. 7 Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. 8 Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.
In this passage David is fleeing from his own son who has turned against him. David's life, a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22), once again is experiencing a low point, about as low as a person could get. David's life is an encouragement to me because it shows that even the one who is a type of Christ, a king anointed by God, a man described as being after God's own heart, a man of whom Jesus is spoken of his house, is just that, a man. He experiences ups and downs, he even fails, even sins. He was just like us.
David was who he was not because he was perfect, just the opposite. He was who he was because he knew his power did not come from himself but from God and regardless how bad it got, how much he messed up, or how far away he got, when he came to a point he would turn to God and give it to Him. Sometimes he sought God at the first and saved himself a lot of problems but like us, sometimes he went in his own power and had to call on God after he failed. Either way, David knew it was God and not he who was on the throne. He may have sinned and failed big but he also repented and returned big. David knew it was only in God and not relgious ritual or tradition also.
All we need do to be like David is to trust completely in Christ's finished work on the Cross of Calvary and allow the Holy Ghost to work in us and fight for us. Jesus has won the war for us. It is over but we must also look to Him for the smaller battles that come our way as live in Sanctification as Christians and allow the Power of the Cross, the Blood of Jesus to cover our lives. Then and only then may the Holy Ghost have the room to move in our lives and apply the Victory that is ours in Christ. We must get self out of the way. We must stop looking to other sources whether they be in "church" or the the world. These include self help formulas, psychology, humanism, and yes, religion among many others which incorporate these elements and others. No matter how good it seems, if it is devised by man it will not ultimately work. If it is anything other than the Cross of Christ then it will not ultimately work. Even more, when we try to add to the Cross, we are effectively denying the Cross altoghether. If the Work of Christ on the Cross, the Blood He shed, is not enought alone, then it is not anything. We must stop adding to it and we must stop denying it. We must, as David learn to look to it continually. When we are in Christ, He is "our deliverer" and "Salvation belongeth to [Him]. When we know this then we truly can lay down and sleep knowing it is the Lord that sustains us and all fear is cast out. Praise the Lord!
Grace and Peace to you all,
Evangelist Randy McCarter
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