He Is Faithful

 

This weekend I taught at a retreat. I love to teach for God, pointing others to His Son. Getting to fellowship with His people for three days in a row is also a special privilege.

Psalm 63 was our topic, in which David says that God’s love is better than life. And indeed, it is! According to the commentators this Psalm was written while David was in the desert on the run from his own son who wanted to take his throne. The first words of the Psalm are “O God you are my God.” This was a clear statement of his faith – even when he was on the run from his own son!

Part of what God showed me was that David had not waited until he was in that desert running for his life to build his faith. He later says that he looked upon God in His sanctuary and had seen God’s power and glory. He was able to remember those times of teaching from God when he was IN the desert. His faith was firm when he got there.

I talked to several women this weekend who testified in a similar way. They had lost much in this life. Some had been widowed or abandoned and left with several small children to care for “on their own.” Some had children die or had lost them in pregnancy. Some had abusive pasts to deal with and several were facing difficult times because of the state of our economy.

These women were able to say boldly, “O God, He is my God.” Their testimony is that they couldn’t have gotten through these times without Him. He was right there. He was their strength, their provider, their peace and their comfort!

These women had practiced and grown their faith before they hit the hard times. God was already in their hearts. What a blessing for them to know God in their circumstances. What a blessing to call on Him and have Him supply their most immediate needs. What a blessing to know Him well enough to recognize His work in their lives when they needed Him most!

God can also use difficult times in our lives to introduce Himself to those who are not seeking Him (and none of us do before He gets our attention). But, what a gift to already know Him and what He can do before we get there.

The ladies at the retreat this weekend were such an encouragement! They were faithful women who have loved God and openly testify to His goodness to them in their life’s lowest moments. Their faith brought me comfort and hope. God’s faithfulness to them and their willingness to share His goodness are things God uses to build the body, to grow the faith of others, and to bring to our remembrance the things He has done for us. I was the receiver this weekend! 

Will we cry out, “God, where are you?” when we hit our next rough spot in life or will we be able to say, like the ladies I met this weekend and David, “O God you are my God!”? 

Psalm 63:1-8 

Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. 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; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.