Tuesday, May 6, 2014

What If?

As we spend more time on this earth, it becomes easier and easier to look to our past and ask, “What if?” Where would I be if I had only done this or that back then? Teenagers ask it about their early years, Twenty somethings ask it about high school, thirty somethings ask it about when they were kids, teenagers, and in their twenties, and so on. The older we get, the more “what if” scenarios we can conjure up in our minds. As believers we can look back to times when we could have made better choices. There is this desire within us to build something better, whether that be an immediate or long term future. We see this in the scriptures as well.

Psalms 143:8 Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.

Here we see David crying out to God early in the morning, looking for direction, looking for deliverance from evil, looking for the way to go. God has placed within us a drive to make things better. Even in this psalm we see David is experiencing something that is making his heart heavy, that is causing him sadness.

Psalms 143:1 Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.
2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.
4 Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.

Unlike the movie “Back to the Future” where Marty gets to travel back in time and fix the past for his parents, we cannot change our past. But there is something we can change. We can choose to change what we put the most focus on about the past. In so doing, we can take steps to build a better future. David, gives us some keys here.

Psalms 143:5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.
6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.
7 Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
8 Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.

Here we see David remembering the past victories he has had when God delivered him from the enemy. We all have some of those, if we think about it. He remembers those and sings about those (the Psalms are songs, right?). David lifts up his hands to God as he sings his prayer request, as we would reaching our for our parents as children. He asks for God to move speedily because he is sinking fast in his spirit. David then asks during his morning prayer and praise time (another key – start you day like this) for God to show him the way to go, what to be building for that day. And David was never timid about asking for God to defeat his enemies.

Psalms 143:9 Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.
10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.
11 Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name’s sake: for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
12 And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.

David asked for God to teach him. He asked God to lead him to righteousness. Sounds like he was trying to make himself a better person. Sounds familiar, right? In the end, he asks God to bring him out of the troubles. Ultimately David asks for the destruction of those that are his enemies.

David was a king. He had himself, his household, and a nation to watch over. He was not afraid or ashamed to call our to God for help to build a better future. Did David make mistakes? Definitely. Did David get built up and build others up in the end? Definitely. How do we know? Well, the best example I can offer is our Messiah was born from his lineage, so David has and is building us up, even though he really messed up at times. David was not only not afraid to call out to God, he knew that no matter what he could trust God to respond when he humbled himself and called out to him. And David did not have the history and teaching of the Messiah yet, like we do. How much more can we rely on God to help us today and to build a better future? What if we were to be like David, praying and praising God early in the morning every morning, seeking direction, deliverance, provision, and victory? What if we trusted like David did for God to do it?

What if?

Prayer
Father, we praise and exalt You. Thank You for all You have done for us in the past, delivering us from many troubles. We remember You as that Great and Mighty Delivering King. We ask You not consider our failures because none of us are perfect. But we do ask for You speedy help. We ask that today You come to our aid. We ask today that You heal us and those we know that need it so greatly. We ask today for Your deliverance and Your abundant provision. We ask today that You destroy our enemies. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.