Dear Friend,
I trust that you’re being encouraged, challenged and changed by these words that you receive weekly. Keep abiding and you’ll bear choice and nice fruits.
Over the weeks we’ve been studying the lives of remnants and some of their actions. Today we want to study the attitude of a remnant with whom God was so pleased that he called him a man after his own heart. You guessed it right, King David. Be blessed.
- I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.
- He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.
- He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.
- Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord, who have no confidence in the proud or in those who worship idols. Psalms 40:1-4 (NLT)
David in his life time experienced God’s deliverance regularly; It amazes me when I read of how he flee from his son Absalom or how he escaped the wrath of Saul; I wonder how he would have made it without God. Tell me what you would do if the governing authority of your country launches a search to arrest and kill you? Who will you run to? Where would you hide? How would you maintain a low profile?
Today’s text is a psalm of thanksgiving for deliverance which ended with prayer . The psalmist began by listing the things he did before he was delivered.
First, He waited. He was not in a haste, he didn’t try to rush God, He waited . Secondly, he waited patiently not anxiously as some of us would. Thirdly, he waited patiently for the Lord to help him. He was not depending on Social security, a charity organization, friends , family members, the church, neighbours ; He was waiting for the Lord’s help and this is not the first time we hear David speak like this.
In Psalms 121:1,2 he said “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth”.
This is the testimony of a remnant: my help came from the Lord, not from the connections I have or the skills I have, but from the Lord. I’m fully aware that God will many times use people to assist you, please be careful not to attribute your success or breakthrough to them but to God.
So David looked up to God for help and God turned to him and heard his cry. Watch this , God didn’t ignore him, he gave David his full attention and solved his problem. He got the results he wouldn’t have if he’d turned to man. His confidence in God finally paid off .That’s what God is willing to do for you If you would just quit depending on people and fix your gaze on him.
It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes. Psalm 118:9(KJV)
David goes on to tell of the things God did for him. He talks about how he was lifted out of the pit. A pit is a hollow area of the ground which usually has a soft soil that causes anything which falls into it to sink. Sometimes you may find worms and sharp objects embedded in this area, It is a miserable and depressing place to be in but thank God David was lifted out of the pit of despair. As you read this journal, I don’t know what kind of pit you’re in but I know that if you look up to God for help right now, he will lift you out of it.
The second thing God did for David was to established him. God set his feet on a solid ground to keep him from falling into further mischief. God was saying to him, David, you don’t ever have to walk on dangerous hollow grounds, I’m going to place your feet on a plain surface and steady you on a rock – a place of strength and safety.
The next thing David testifies of is that God gave him a new song to sing, a hymn of praise. I wish I had time to expound on this but just know that the new song was a result of the revelation David received from the deliverance he had just experienced and I’m a witness to this; I’ve seen God move in and through some situations in my life through which I gained a deeper insight into some characters/attributes of God and a song flowed forth consequently. I pray that God today will give a new song. Amen!
The later part of verse 3 says that “many will see it” , How ?
I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among many people. Psalm 35:18 (WBT)
You ought to testify. A testimony is an open attestation; a public profession which offers firsthand proof of an event known to have happened or something known to have existed. That’s what Noah did when he built an alter and sacrificed to God out of his substance. He could have taken the credit and boast of how skillful he was at building the ark but through his actions he testified that God was his help having protected him and his family whilst the flood drowned every other living thing on earth. He ascribed to God the glory due to him, he was thankful and God was pleased.
God will give you a testimony; I hear God say that he will lift you , re-position you and stabilize you and when it happens don’t hold back, share your testimony because through it , many will be encouraged and put their trust in God.
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WORSHIP OF A REMNANT