Saturday, January 19, 2008

Studying Psalm 18

Psalm 18 is a Song of Praise from David unto God when he was delivered from his enemies and Saul (historical background in 2 Samuel 22). What a big and awesome victory that surely David would remember for the rest of his life!

As David dwelled on the memories of God's deliverances in his life, he had these action steps of obedience:
(From verses 21-23)
- I WILL keep the ways of the Lord
- I WILL NOT do evil by turning from God
- I WILL NOT turn away from His decrees
- I WILL keep myself from sin

Do we become complacent when we bask in our past victories and times of God's help?

Resolve to follow the action steps of obedience of David.

He knows he can and always has to rely on the God who 'reached down from on high to take hold of us' (v.16) and who 'stooped down to make us great' (v.35b).

The God of the universe, the almight God, worthy of the highest praise and authority, humbled Himself so low for us!

Could you imagine that???

Below is a writing by Max Lucado which echoes this mindblowing thought:

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He Loves to Be with the Ones He Loves
by Max Lucado


Holiday travel. It isn't easy. Then why do we do it? Why cram the trunks and endure the airports? You know the answer. We love to be with the ones we love.

The four-year-old running up the sidewalk into the arms of Grandpa.

The cup of coffee with Mom before the rest of the house awakes.

That moment when, for a moment, everyone is quiet as we hold hands around the table and thank God for family and friends and pumpkin pie.

We love to be with the ones we love.

May I remind you? So does God. He loves to be with the ones he loves. How else do you explain what he did? Between him and us there was a distance--a great span. And he couldn't bear it. He couldn't stand it. So he did something about it.

Before coming to the earth, "Christ himself was like God in every-thing.... But he gave up his place with God and made himself nothing. He was born to be a man and became like a servant" (Phil. 2:6--7 NCV).

Why? Why did Jesus travel so far?

I was asking myself that question when I spotted the squirrels outside my window. A family of black-tailed squirrels has made its home amid the roots of the tree north of my office. We've been neighbors for three years now. They watch me peck the keyboard. I watch them store their nuts and climb the trunk. We're mutually amused. I could watch them all day. Sometimes I do.

But I've never considered becoming one of them. The squirrel world holds no appeal to me. Who wants to sleep next to a hairy rodent with beady eyes? (No comments from you wives who feel you already do.) Give up the Rocky Mountains, bass fishing, weddings, and laughter for a hole in the ground and a diet of dirty nuts? Count me out.

But count Jesus in. What a world he left. Our classiest mansion would be a tree trunk to him. Earth's finest cuisine would be walnuts on heaven's table. And the idea of becoming a squirrel with claws and tiny teeth and a furry tail? It's nothing compared to God becoming a one-celled embryo and entering the womb of Mary.

But he did. The God of the universe kicked against the wall of a womb, was born into the poverty of a peasant, and spent his first night in the feed trough of a cow. "The Word became flesh and lived among us" (John 1:14 NRSV). The God of the universe left the glory of heaven and moved into the neighborhood. Our neighborhood! Who could have imagined he would do such a thing.

Why? He loves to be with the ones he loves.

From Next Door Savior
Available in Hardback or Paperback
Copyright (W Publishing Group, 2003) Max Lucado
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