David spent a large portion of his life under attack. He was attacked by Israelites. He was attacked by non-Israelites. He was attacked by family members. And God was who he could trust.
In chapter 22 (and also in Psalm 18), we find David’s response to God’s repeated deliverance from attackers, famine, and political unrest. David recognized that his safety was because of God. He described God as his rock, his fortress, his refuge, and his deliverer – all of which were essential to his survival.
According to Ray vander Laan, the word translated “fortress” comes from a Hebrew word that means masada. David’s words compare God to a huge, well-known desert fortress built upon a very large rock in the Judean Wilderness.
(This picture is from the Jewish Virtual Library)
David felt safe in God’s arms. He saw that God was solid and not easily shaken. He saw God as a protector – a safe haven. What better word picture could be used to describe these feelings other than “Masada”.
When you think about God, what words would you use to describe Him?
Are your descriptive words personal or are they factual?
For example, you could say that God is all-knowing or all-powerful. These are factual, but they are not personal. Satan could say, “God is all-knowing and all-powerful.”
David’s relationship with God was very personal. Satan could not say, “God is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer.”
Think about your relationship with God. What can you use to describe Him that is personal – something that Satan could not say about Him? Share your words with the rest of the SHYG community. Let’s move our relationship with God to a new level – one that is not based on head knowledge, but instead relies on a personal relationship with Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment