God Alone Provides A Way Out - Day 2
OPENING PRAYER:
Father, we pray that your word penetrates our hearts today to “do not fear for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10, NIV).
“Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; no deeds can compare with yours. 9 All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, O Lord; they will bring glory to your name. 10 For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God. Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.” Psalm 86:8-13, NIV
REFLECT:
You have been here before. Your boss needs a project done this week. Your daughter has just informed you that her car is having trouble and it needs your attention because she will be heading out of town with it soon! At the same time, your wife reminds you that you have a commitment to host this week’s home team. Then, your friend texts you amidst this chaos and asks if you can play a round of Golf tomorrow night! While David’s plight is much more dramatic, as he implores God to help him, the desperation is similar. Sometimes things come down on us all at once. Sometimes, we just cannot make it all happen on our own. In those moments where life seems to want to overrun us, and circumstances want to overwhelm us…God is there.
David’s greatest secret for success was to never go beyond the extended arm of God. To lean on him and rely on him no matter what he faced. David was a great warrior. A cunning battle strategist. But David knew where his help came from. Psalm 121:1-2, NIV, says “I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.” David sought the Lord constantly, whenever there was trouble – but also to give thanks when he was enjoying the fruit of Gods blessings. Hebrews 10:23, NIV reminds us, “let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised in faithful.”
APPLY:
When we feel the walls closing in around us and find ourselves in seemingly impossible situations, is our first thought to seek help from the Lord? We can become very self-centered in our approach to solving our problems and tend to leave God out. This introduces fear and anxiety to the mix. When we take off without our father, we go into uncharted territory without the very maker of heaven and earth. Let’s turn to God first, give him all our difficult situations and trials and learn to rely on him more for all the answers. Isaiah reminds us in the popular verse Isaiah 40:31, NIV, “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.”
CLOSING PRAYER:
Dear Lord, thank you for your covering and protection over us – reminding us: “he who dwells in the shelter of the most high will rest in the shadow of the almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (Psalm 91:1-2, NIV).
WORSHIP: