“They spread a net for my feet – I was bowed down in distress.” Psalm 57:6 NIV
David is still in the cave. Saul is still the king and is still going after David. David’s circumstances haven’t changed much, if at all. Instead of self-pity and complaining, David breaks forth in praise to God. He teaches us two things about praise: Praise is not our natural response in a time of trial. Our natural response is to complain and get angry at God, or to get depressed. But even though David’s enemy had fixed a net to trap him (verse 6), David had fixed his heart (verse 7) on praising God. The repeated affirmations show that it was a matter of deliberate choice: “I will sing, yes, I will sing praises!” Sometimes we need to praise God when we don’t feel like it. We may think, “Isn’t that hypocrisy?” No, it’s obedience. Hypocrisy doesn’t mean doing things we don’t feel like doing. If that’s what hypocrisy is, I’m a hypocrite every morning, because I get out of bed even though I don’t feel like it! Hypocrisy is trying to present a false impression to others so that you look better than you really are. But praising God is a matter of obedience, and the test of obedience isn’t when we feel like obeying, but when we don’t! It is a SACRIFICE of praise. Meaning it costs us. In what way? By choosing not to focus on ourselves and our situation, but choosing, no matter how hard it is, to praise God for who He is; for all He has done for us in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ and for the empowerment He has given to us, through His indwelling Holy Spirit in our lives, to worship in the dark caves of our lives.
PRAYER THOUGHT
Lord, we choose to offer You a sacrifice of praise in our difficult times.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord, even though we don’t feel like praising You in the dark caves of our lives, we choose to offer to You a sacrifice of praise – praising You for who You are and what You have done for us in Christ Jesus. AMEN
INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)
Judges 6:25-32
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