March 30, 2022
Greetings,
Thank you for praying this Wednesday for our prodigals and for revival. True prayer is born out of a good relationship with God; a relationship that needs to be cultivated throughout our days.
Carey Nieuwhof once said, “Prayer is not a button to be pushed, but a relationship to be pursued.”
David was a man who pursued a relationship with His God. His relationship with God was real, vibrant, and growing. In Hebrews 11, God calls David a man of faith (Hebrews 11:32).
A person of faith prioritizes his or her relationship with God. In fact, it is impossible to have a good relationship with God without faith.
David pursued a relationship with His God from a young age. It probably began on the lonely hills of Judea outside the town of Bethlehem as he took care of his father’s sheep.
David pursued God as his Creator. This is often the starting point of faith. Hebrews 11 opens by saying, “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible” (Hebrews 11:3).
What is seen was made by the One who is unseen; we are the creatures and He is the Creator. In Psalm 8, David reveals his appreciation for God’s greatness as Creator. “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8:3-4).
This truth establishes a good basis for our relationship with God as it develops in us a healthy respect and awe for God’s majesty. It takes faith to attribute the making of the universe to God.
David pursued God as his Redeemer. Like all of us, David was a sinner by nature. His tendencies were no different than ours. As a man, he had the opportunity to behold a beautiful woman and pursued what he should have left alone. The whole story of Bathsheba is a sad commentary on the lengths a man will go to get what he wants, even at the expense of God’s honor and human decency.
In Psalm 32, after David confessed his sin to God, he wrote about the wonderful truth of God’s forgiveness. He said, “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit (Psalm 32:1-2).
He found that God was his redeemer, and was willing to forgive all his sin. This taught David the wonder of God’s great grace. It is a key ingredient in maintaining a healthy relationship.
David pursued God as his sustainer. He learned that everything he needed was found alone in his God. He said, “My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night” (Psalm 63:5-6).
David loved his God and loved to fill his mind with thoughts of Him. It brought a satisfaction that nothing else could fill. In times of distress, God was there. In times of loneliness or weakness, he felt the need of God’s sustaining presence, and it was always real.
The deeper his relationship with God became, the more he sensed the beauty of God’s presence.
David sought to trust God as his protector. This was a growing reality in David’s life.
One of David’s favorite words as he thought about his God was refuge. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling” (Psalm 46:1-3).
The word refuge indicates a place of shelter from the storm. A trustworthy place that is guaranteed to keep one safe. It is a hope-filled place. Hope in the sense of certainty. When we take refuge in God and pursue Him as our protector, He gives us the hope we need to carry on.
May God give us David-like desires to pursue a deeper relationship with our God.
Love in Christ,
Bryan and Rachel
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