Victory and Rejoicing
Paula Miles, Guest Writer
TODAY’S TREASURE
At the end of Psalm 63, we once again find David rejoicing and praising God in his wilderness of suffering. He speaks of a God who is just and victorious, always faithful to His people. He speaks of a God who will destroy his enemies and silence their lying tongues. He recognizes and acknowledges that there is a distinct difference between those who belong to God and those who do not. He exults in God’s name, the very essence of who He is. David knows “the name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe” (Proverbs 18:10). Do you feel safe in the arms of your Savior? Are you running into the strong tower He provides?
Perhaps you find it difficult to relate to David’s words here because he is actually being pursued by men who are his enemies and don’t belong to his God. In his wilderness, he fears their attack. It is often in our wilderness experiences that we find ourselves vulnerable and fearful, often doubting the character and promises of our God. The Bible tells us that our real enemies are the world, the flesh (our fallen nature), and the devil. In Ephesians 6:12, we are told that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Jesus tells us in John 10:10 that Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but that He has come to bring us life, abundant life. Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33). He has triumphed over all our enemies (Colossians 2:15) and given us power over sin (Romans 6:5-14). We serve a risen Savior who sympathizes with our weaknesses and who sits at the Father’s right hand interceding for us. He sees our wildernesses and is intimately acquainted with the brokenness of our world. He will come again, establishing His kingdom where we will rule and reign with Him forever. He WILL make every wrong right. We will be completely freed from the very presence of sin, all of this world’s brokenness, and all of our pain. “Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17) Our hope is in Him, the just and righteous One. Cling to Him in your wilderness.
This, my dear friends, is why we can rejoice and suffer at the same time. John Piper defines joy as “a good feeling in the soul, produced by the Holy Spirit, as he causes us to see the beauty of Christ in the Word and in the world.” Can you see the beauty of Christ in your brokenness? Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the ability to do that. Rick Warren says that joy is “the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright, and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.”
Do you have that assurance and confidence that propel you to rejoice? May God grant us the grace to do just that.
O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you.
Psalm 63:1
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live and in your name I will lift up my hands.
Psalm 63:3-5
PRAYER
Oh God, You are our God! Earnestly, we do seek You in this dry and weary land in which You have called us to live. Thank You for being the Living Water that quenches our thirst and the Satisfier of our souls. Help us to enjoy the abundant life that is offered to us in Christ, and that we can experience in any and every situation. May we remember You even in the night and sing in the shadow of Your wings. Thank you that as we cling to You, Your right hand upholds us, and we are safe and secure there. Deliver us from our enemies and make our lives full of rejoicing. We glorify You because Your steadfast love is better than life itself. We pray this in the strong name of Jesus.
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Sharon W. Betters is a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, pastor’s wife, and cofounder of MARKINC Ministries, where she is the Director of Resource Development. Sharon is the author of several books, including Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace. She is the co-host of the Help & Hope podcast and writes Daily Treasure, an online devotional.
Contact Sharon with comments or questions at dailytreasure@markinc.org.