The Lifter

Last Saturday I bartered for a Sheltie puppy (5 cases of dehydrated food [MREs], two music stands and an old amplifier)!  I brought the 10-week-old, tri-color pup home from Silverton, Oregon and he and Hero, our Lab puppy, are fast becoming best friends.   Hero is about 55 pounds larger, but that does not seem to intimidate our newest addition—Saber.  It is hilarious watching them joust and wrestle and playfully bite.  

Yesterday, our neighbor Chris, rang the doorbell and informed us that Saber was trapped in our fishpond and swimming as hard as he could.  I ran around to the back yard and discovered an amazing sight.  Hero had jumped into the pond and was paddling right beside Saber, evidently providing moral support.  As soon as Hero saw me, he easily jumped out, jumped on me and got me soaking wet as I lifted little Saber out of the water.  Wow, those two dogs were so happy they just took off running! 
 
Meditation
Psalm 3:2,3—Many say about me, “There is no help for him from God.”  But You, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts up my head.
 
King David faced a time in his life when the attacks of his enemies seemed overwhelming.  Even those who knew him concluded God had turned His back on His servant.    I wonder how many times we encounter such severe problems or are so assailed that even our friends write us off as doomed?  How many times are we rapidly paddling to keep our heads above water, unable on our own to extricate ourselves! 

David did not agree with his critics.  He recognized that God was his protection—the lifter of his head.  “I cry aloud to the LORD, and He answers me from His holy mountain.  I lie down and sleep; I wake again because the Lord sustains me.  I am not afraid of the thousands of people who have taken their stand against me on every side”(verses 4-6).  How about you—are you able to sleep in peace?  Are you confident the Lord hears your voice and will answer? Does it drag you down when those who know you conclude God is not looking after you?   So often, we look at our problems or our enemies and worry. God looks at usand desires worship.   The One who made us is unintimidated by our fiascos.  In truth, opposition and hardship ought to bring out faith not disconsolateness.  

Don’t buy in to the commentary of bystanders or believe the word of the enemy that your God does not care.  That is a phony piece of interpretation from a master liar.  Your God is better than your worst nightmare; more powerful than your scariest adversaries.  So make Him your shield!  Call on Him!  He will lift your head, pull you out of the pond of despair, dry you off and bless you with the inside-out warming love of an all-compassionate Father!  That’s something to think about . . . in reveration! 
 
Inspiration
Spiritual bondage to the world is a fruit of spiritual blindness, and deliverance is the outcome of having our eyes opened.—Watchman Nee in Love Not The World
 
©2009 Daniel York  ARR.  Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box. Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)