May 1
2 Samuel 22:1-51; Ps 18
We had our home Bible study last night. In our church we call these DHG’s or Discipleship Home Groups. There was around 7 cars parked all around my house, and there was approximately 15 people present. There were 5 who were unable to make it. It was a good time of fellowship and digging into God’s Word. Because of where we live, we didn’t have to hide the cars or dim the lights. We didn’t worry that those who didn’t make it were either arrested or killed. Though Christianity in America is increasingly under attack, our struggles are more that of complacency rather than persecution. In contrast over 340 million of our fellow Christians live in places with high levels of persecution, over 4700 Christians were martyred for their faith last year, close to 4500 churches were either attacked or burned, close to 4300 Christians were arrested and imprisoned without trial, their crime being Christian. Boko Haram along with other extremist Islamic groups lead frequent raids into Nigerian Christian communities often killing the men and boys, and raping the women. Chinese pastor Wang Yi was sentenced to 9 years in prison for “inciting to subvert state power” which is their terminology for boldly presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We read David’s words in 2 Samuel 22:2-7, “ He sang: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. He is my refuge, my savior, the one who saves me from violence. I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies. “The waves of death overwhelmed me; floods of destruction swept over me. The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path. But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I cried to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry reached his ears.” As God answers David’s plea for help, we read in 22:17-18, “ “He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me.” Because of this David learns to lean on God’s strength in 22:29-30, “ O Lord, you are my lamp. The Lord lights up my darkness. In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall.”
Perhaps these words do not flow from our lips with that same level of desperation because we have not found ourselves that desperate yet? As we look around at our increasingly evolving situation, perhaps God is bringing us to the point where we start looking up, really looking up, not just mouthing the words. Perhaps God is taking away our alternatives to continue to wiggle out of our own situations in our own strength. God knows what we need, we think that we know what we need. We need Him. We need Him more than anyone and anything else. May we learn to lean on our Rock and cling to Him like never before.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: