Psalms 3:3 KJV But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
How many times have I looked down because I knew I was unworthy of love? Yet just as many times has God reached down to gently lift my eyes so that I may look into His and know that He loves me in spite of all my failures and shortcomings. We often have to remind ourselves that God’s love cannot be earned or purchased but only received humbly through the accepting, by faith, the work His Son Jesus Christ did for us. Furthermore, He knows the cry of our heart and waits patiently for us to ask for His help.
Psalms 3:4-6 KJV 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.
Through pain and the longing of our hearts we get to experience intimacy with God. Strangely, those are the very things the world says we should avoid. After all who wants to go through pain or know the desperation of one’s own heart but it’s these things that become the doorway to knowing God better and deeper than the average pew warmer. The longer we cover it up, ignore it, dismiss it, or drown it out with busyness the longer we miss out on knowing God intimately. Can we be saved without ever going there? Not sure but when have we ever settled for a small piece of pie on anything? And if that is so why settle for just enough of Jesus to make it to Heaven? For Heaven is not the destination but it is relationship with God, that’s where we are going! What was the number one thing Jesus corrected the religious and those with ambitions about? What did Jesus try to get the rich young ruler to see (Mark 10:17-22)? Was he not blinded to Jesus’ love for him by the things he owned, is it not relationship with Jesus that surpasses all of our accomplishments?
God said king David was a man after His own heart; do you think David was born special and without choice was made to be an instrument of God or could it be he knew what it meant to long for relationship as the least of eight brothers herding sheep all day long. David was passed over by his father when Samuel looked at Jesse’s sons for the next king of Israel. Still David knew who he was and who he served as we watch him face Goliath. Again David faced much pain as he ran for his life from Saul’s anger and again David also knew his own depravity when he sinned. It was only after all these things David came through that his relationship with God became intimate, for it could not have been any other way.
Yes David was selected by God before he was born but was it because of some special ability or was it because God knew these things would bring him closer to God and it could only be through this type of intimate relationship that God could lead the king who led His people?
May your heart always remain tender towards the things of God, in all situations. If you can keep the soil of your heart fertile there is no telling what God has in store for those who love Him and surely He will keep those whom He uses to serve His purpose.
