In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge. Let me never be put to shame. Deliver me in Your righteousness. Turn Your ear to me. Come quickly to my rescue. Be my Rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. Since you are my Rock and my Fortress, for the sake of Your name, lead me and guide me. Free me from the trap that is set before me, O Lord, the God of truth. Into Your hands I commit my spirit. (vs. 1-5)
David was in a predicament that brought shame to him. The psalm reveals later in its verses that David was confronted by a conspiracy so obvious and cunning that those who followed him abandoned his leadership. The king's experience with his God was that His God delivered. Rescued. Vanquished the enemy. So with the aching depression of abandonment and the circling in of the tentacles of the mutineers, David pleads with God to save him once again. "Lead me! Guide me! I don't know what to do on my own!"
Ever been there? Better question: Ever NOT been there? I seem to cry out to the Lord on a daily basis to lead and guide me because this world we must navigate is filled with thorns, thistles and downright bear traps that catch us offguard and tear at our spirits, waylaying our progress or even completely stopping us in our tracks. I need a spiritual GPS. And I have one. The Spirit of God. My very own navigation system. Jesus told His disciples in John 16 that He personally will tell the Holy Spirit what to tell us. We should be having conversation with and taking instruction from the Lord Jesus Himself on a daily basis - hourly basis - minute-by-minute - because He is telling the Holy Spirit what to say to us. His sheep hear His voice. Are we listening?
It is not always easy to hear. Much louder are the voices of the world - doubt, fear, offense, hatred, vengeance, greed, want, need. Maybe that is why the Lord Himself got away from the crowds to spend time with the Father even when it cost Him a meal or two or even His sleep. Get a firmer grasp on the Father's hand. Have a deeper understanding of the Father's mind. Make a stronger heart connection with the Father's heart. Putting our spirit into His hands.
It is interesting that Jesus quoted this psalm from the cross. He shouted it with a loud voice! "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit!" This, as the earth is quaking, the sun has vanished in the middle of the day, and God Himself has ripped the temple curtain from top to bottom. The sphere He holds in His hand gone crazy. Jesus abandoned on the cross, dying because of a vast conspiracy that judged Him to be at the very least a criminal, at the worst a charlatan or crazy. Alone. Spit at. Beaten. Mocked. Stripped. Naked on a cross for all to scorn as the blood poured into the very dust He created. Never more destitute. Never more anguished. Yet, in this moment, Jesus puts it all in God's hands.
My spirit in the palms that have my name written there. My spirit entwined in the fingers that touched the earth, designing animals, mountains, oceans, rivers, waterfalls, meadows and caverns. My spirit safely in the hands that created me in the first place. For it is with my spirit I really live - not with my body. It is a tent covering who Kay is. It will be about doing what my spirit is directing. My spirit led by His Spirit should be navigated ever more toward the fulfilling of the dream my Father had for me from before the before. May it be so today.
David was in a predicament that brought shame to him. The psalm reveals later in its verses that David was confronted by a conspiracy so obvious and cunning that those who followed him abandoned his leadership. The king's experience with his God was that His God delivered. Rescued. Vanquished the enemy. So with the aching depression of abandonment and the circling in of the tentacles of the mutineers, David pleads with God to save him once again. "Lead me! Guide me! I don't know what to do on my own!"
Ever been there? Better question: Ever NOT been there? I seem to cry out to the Lord on a daily basis to lead and guide me because this world we must navigate is filled with thorns, thistles and downright bear traps that catch us offguard and tear at our spirits, waylaying our progress or even completely stopping us in our tracks. I need a spiritual GPS. And I have one. The Spirit of God. My very own navigation system. Jesus told His disciples in John 16 that He personally will tell the Holy Spirit what to tell us. We should be having conversation with and taking instruction from the Lord Jesus Himself on a daily basis - hourly basis - minute-by-minute - because He is telling the Holy Spirit what to say to us. His sheep hear His voice. Are we listening?
It is not always easy to hear. Much louder are the voices of the world - doubt, fear, offense, hatred, vengeance, greed, want, need. Maybe that is why the Lord Himself got away from the crowds to spend time with the Father even when it cost Him a meal or two or even His sleep. Get a firmer grasp on the Father's hand. Have a deeper understanding of the Father's mind. Make a stronger heart connection with the Father's heart. Putting our spirit into His hands.
It is interesting that Jesus quoted this psalm from the cross. He shouted it with a loud voice! "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit!" This, as the earth is quaking, the sun has vanished in the middle of the day, and God Himself has ripped the temple curtain from top to bottom. The sphere He holds in His hand gone crazy. Jesus abandoned on the cross, dying because of a vast conspiracy that judged Him to be at the very least a criminal, at the worst a charlatan or crazy. Alone. Spit at. Beaten. Mocked. Stripped. Naked on a cross for all to scorn as the blood poured into the very dust He created. Never more destitute. Never more anguished. Yet, in this moment, Jesus puts it all in God's hands.
My spirit in the palms that have my name written there. My spirit entwined in the fingers that touched the earth, designing animals, mountains, oceans, rivers, waterfalls, meadows and caverns. My spirit safely in the hands that created me in the first place. For it is with my spirit I really live - not with my body. It is a tent covering who Kay is. It will be about doing what my spirit is directing. My spirit led by His Spirit should be navigated ever more toward the fulfilling of the dream my Father had for me from before the before. May it be so today.
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