Question . . .

Have you ever been devoured by your enemies when you looked to God for help?

When I look back over my life at the places of my greatest failures, there are places  where I was run over, knocked down and in some areas destroyed. Was I really? Did I really cry out to God?  For what was I crying?  Being truly honest I cryed out when all I had tried on my own had failed. This cry was a last resort, the last possible option that seemed available under the circumstances.

When I did cry out, I was expecting genie-in-a magic-bottle God to deliver me from the consequences of my self created circumstances. Often I felt God had abandoned me, forgotten about me, did not love me. God, however, simply allowed me to expereince the full weight of my choices, made without Him. My cry for deliverance were for relief not repentance. There was pain I was trying to avoid, but there was no surrender, turning towards him in repentance, willingness to accept the responsiblity for my choices. These were all missing from my cries.

In Psalm 54:7 David says (and he would know), “For He has delivered me from every trouble and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemy.” This is his final statement. Look at the process that proceeds this pronouncement.

Verse 1 – He cries out to God recognizing he is powerless over his circumstances and his life.

Verse 2 – He prays  – conversation with God beyond and above his cry.

Verse 3 – He recognizes his enemy – fully seeing an identifying who or what is the enemy and what they seek.

Verse 4 – BUT GOD, my two favorite words in scripture – transitional in every instance. There is a shift in David’s reality. His vision moves beyond his circumstances to his helper.

Verse 6- He praises God – He offers a sacrifice of praise, thankgiving in the midst of the situation. NOTHING HAS CHANGED!

Verse 7- He looks back and remembers that God has always been faithful to deliver him. He can be trusting in these circumstances as well  because of his/God’s proven character.

To look at this passage and not evaluated your or my current circumstance would be tragic. Help is available and is just a surrendered, thankful heart cry away. It is bathed in praise for that is the transition from living under circumstance and living inspite of them.

Where are you crying out?