Tuesday Reflection July 13,2021

Our Shield, Our Glory, Our Encourager.

Two weeks ago, I spoke about Absalom, David’s son who killed his brother and was banished by David. If you remember, the Watchword then was from 2 Samuel 14: 14 when Joab got a woman to go before King David with a sob story which she turned back on the king and caused him to send for his banished son. There was more to that story. Much more. You see, when Absalom returned to Jerusalem, he began plotting to overthrow his father and seize the throne for himself. In 2 Samuel 15 we read about a barefooted and weeping David, fleeing the city with his family and followers ahead of the arrival of Absalom. It was during this period of his life that it is believed that David wrote Psalm 3. Today’s watchword speaks of David’s confidence in God even in the face of his adversary. Many are saying to me, “There is no help for you in God”. But you, O Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head. Psalm 3: 2 – 3.

In the Psalm, David is giving thanks to God for hearing his cry for help and responding. He begins by stating his situation to God. He wanted God to know what was being done to him, what people were saying about his relationship with God and how hopeless people had become. Is it that David believed that God did not know what he was experiencing? No. We learn from David in his many prayers, that God welcomes out telling God what we are experiencing, how we are feeling and what we want God to do about the situations we face. When we read the prayers of David from the Psalms we learn a very valuable lesson, when everyone and everything turns against us, God will always be on the side of the faithful. Indeed, God is our shield, our glory and our encourager.

As David fled for his life and called upon God, there were those who criticized him. For those critics, God was not going to help David since it was God who was allowing him to go through persecution and rebellion by his son. David however did not stay quiet. He still prayed and he was able to praise God for his deliverance. These days there are many nay-sayers and unbelievers around us, and many try to influence us away from God or discourage us on our faith journey. Many attack the Bible as a book of multiple controversies and contradictions, or as a book of violence, genocide, injustice and prejudice. Many have used its pages to justify evils throughout the ages. The fact that there are so many denominations with so many different strains of doctrine and practices is used to say that the church is one messed up confused group of people who are going nowhere. In a world that decries all that is righteous, all that is good, all that is holy, what do we as Christians have to hold on to? Like David we have our faith. When everything and everyone around us fails, our faith tells us that Jesus will never fail us. When those whom we depended on fail us, Jesus will come through for us. When those around us seek to upend us with their doubts, we know that Jesus will always come through for us. Even if we are the only ones praying and believing, we are to keep the faith for it is the Lord, not humanity, that shield us when danger rises up around us. It is the Lord who restores our joy when sorrow seemed to be overtaking us and it is the Lord who encourages and uplifts us when we are surrounded by naysayers. God carried the weight or held the significance in David’s life, that is what he meant by God being his glory. He knew where his help would come from. He knew who heard when he cried out. As God was for David, so he can be for us if we trust Him. Friends, find confidence in knowing He will always be with you. Find comfort in his presence, promised to the faithful every step of our journey. Experience the change of a life surrendered to Christ Jesus. This prepares us for whatever we face in life. God is indeed our shield, our glory and our encourager. May we who know Jesus, walk in confidence today and always. Amen.