January 9th – “Good Expectation”
“And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope [my confident expectation] is in You” Psalm 39:7 AMP
Psalm 39 depicts an afflicted King David. The one that the Lord called a “man after His own heart” (Acts 13:22) was in this text inflamed in his heart with words he initially intended not to utter (v 1-2). When he did speak, it was with a desire to know his own end and the measure of his days (v 4).
Many are also familiar with David based on the story of David and Goliath. David’s triumph over the 9 ft. tall Philistine champion who, fit for warfare and slaughter, stood in fearsome opposition to the armies of Israel, and ultimately fell to the young shepherd boy who knew the strength of the living God, His God, to deliver from the hand of any and every enemy (1 Samuel 17).Note, the people sung of David’s triumphs soon after that (1 Samuel 18:7), but David alone penned the verses accounting of his own afflictions.
His entire life David faced afflictions; his own father-in-law tried many times to kill him, he was on the run for his life, his wife spoke against him, his best friend died, he stumbled in sin and he lost his son as a result, his family was taken captive, people spoke of stoning him, and I could go on.
It should really come as no surprise then that David wrote these words: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous…” for in his life, he faced trouble (Psalm 34:19). And in this life, we too will face trouble. Jesus our Lord and Saviour promised it saying to His disciples, “In this world you will have tribulation.” (John 16:33) and yet He also said, “BUT be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).
Amazingly, the true story of Psalm 34 is not a lament of David’s. No, in spite of the backdrop of this psalm being that of David feigning madness to drive away an enemy, Psalm 34 proclaims the happiness of all those who trust in God. “For many ARE the afflictions of the righteous, BUT the Lord delivers them out of them all.” What always worked for David was that no matter the opposition, his confident expectation always rested in God who alone has the capacity to deliver all who trust and hope in Him. This is He who the Apostle Paul later spoke of as the One who delivers from deadly peril and would yet deliver (2 Corinthians 1:10).
King David, the Apostle Paul and a great cloud of witnesses of old placed their hope in God that He would CONTINUE to deliver. I believe fervently today, that no matter what 2021 holds for us, what WILL work for us is that the same God, who never changes (Hebrews 13:8), who delivered THEN, will deliver NOW. Whether we need to be delivered from the calamities of life, the schemes of people, or our own mishaps like David in Psalm 39, let’s believe God that whatever the cause, He WILL be our deliverer, He WILL make the way of escape, He will be our security, forever. Like David, may our hope be in God, our expectation for this year good, no matter what lies ahead, for GOD IS GOOD AND DOES GOOD by it all, in it all, and through it all.
Reflect:
What has the Lord delivered you from?
How do you expect Him to deliver you in 2021?
Prayer: Father, You have the ultimate capacity to deliver. And, Your Word shows that You did not spare the saints from facing adversity. Ultimately, You did not deliver Your Son Jesus from being crucified because You had in mind for me to experience the greatest, most permanent act of deliverance; that is the forgiveness of my sins and the promise that my hope does not have to live and die with my time here on earth. You have the ultimate capacity to deliver now and will yet deliver me to eternity promised. And so, thank You for being purposeful in all that You do and don’t do. Ultimately, You have done the greatest good by me and so I have good expectations for 2021 because my expectations are firmly planted in You. In Jesus name. Amen
~Sara Turner~
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