“A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. O LORD, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul, ‘There is no salvation for him in God.’ Selah” Psalm 3:1-2
Devotion:
David was surrounded by those who hated him. Even his own son rose up against him. The voices he heard around him and the voices he heard in his head said, ‘There is no salvation for him in God.’ Maybe there was salvation for others, but with this many enemies surrounding, David had surely been left all alone. Right?
The hardest part when life doesn’t go our way is the sense that maybe God has turned on us. We can’t help, when things aren’t working out, but to interpret it as a sign that God has removed himself from us. Fortunately, over and over, the Bible teaches that our experience is not the best communicator of God’s love towards us. In these moments of doubt, it is the remembrance of God’s promises which carry us through. We turn our eyes up to God in these moments precisely because we know He cares and because we know He can help. God isn’t pushing us away through our challenges; rather, He is pulling us closer to him. It is in these moments of doubt when we actually learn that we can trust God. He is our faithful God when things are going well and when the world seems to be against us. Those moments when we are outnumbered actually become a stage for His salvation to be displayed.
These same kinds of things were yelled out at Jesus as he hung on the cross. From an outward perspective, it seemed as though he was doomed. And yet, hanging on the cursed cross, he was accomplishing God’s will. And three days later, God raised him from the dead. Through the deepest Godforsakenness, Jesus proved that God’s promises are a more reliable word than our circumstances.
Prayer:
God, it is incredibly challenging to cling to your promises when life takes unexpected turns. Other voices creep in, tempting us with lies. One of the hardest things to hear while walking by faith is, “God won’t save you.”
Have mercy on us, Lord, and redirect our focus to Your goodness. Be our strength in times of weakness, our light in darkness, and our song when hope seems lost.
Above all, we pray that you would captivate our hearts with the story of Jesus. Illuminate His sufferings and subsequent glory in a way that fills us with hope. We desire to be Your people who trust Your promises regardless of our circumstances. We firmly believe in Your unwavering love for us. In Jesus’ name, we worship and pray.
Amen.
