“In You, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in Your righteousness.” Psalm 31:1 NIV
Psalm 31 makes it clear that David knew God in a personal, practical and deep way before he got into this crisis. David recites many attributes of God throughout this psalm. God is a refuge and shelter. He is righteous and will judge righteously. He is a rock of strength. He hears and answers prayer. He is a stronghold and fortress – David’s source of strength. He is the God of truth and of lovingkindness. He is all-knowing and gracious in that He forgives and doesn’t cast off the rejected. He has unlimited storehouses of goodness for those who fear Him, even if they are going through the worst of trials. David didn’t learn all of this about God suddenly and in the middle of this calamity, although, no doubt, he deepened his knowledge of God through this distress. David had begun to know God through His Word as a young boy tending his father’s sheep. So when this crisis hit, David had resources in God to lean on. If we are not in a current crisis, let us take the time to put down roots in the Lord that will enable us to weather the inevitable storms that will come. We do this by spending time alone with God and in His Word, feeding our souls. Let His Word confront our lives with the sin that needs to be dealt with. Then we will be more prepared for the stressful times when they come. If we are already in a crisis and we don’t know God as David did, let us seek Him like never before! He is gracious and will meet us in our crisis, if our heart is right. But the time to prepare for stress is before it hits.
PRAYER THOUGHT
Lord, help us to prepare for those times of stress by being rooted in You.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord, help us, through the power and ministry of Your indwelling Holy Spirit, to prepare ourselves for those times of stress by being rooted in You, through prayer and the reading of Your Word. AMEN
INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)
2 Corinthians 1:16-20
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