God is Ready
Today’s Verse:
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. ~Psalm 86:5
What is your greatest thought concerning God? How real is God in your life? What have trials and difficulties taught you concerning God? We are looking again at a prayer of David. This is most likely a psalm that David wrote when Absalom usurped the kingdom and pursued after David. Ps. 86 is a prayer of David. It is a heartfelt prayer where, “O, Lord,” and, “Thou, Lord,” are used repeatedly as he calls on the Lord. Unlike someone who does not know the Lord and asks, “Who art thou, Lord?”, David depicts for us a profound and deep relationship he has with the Lord.
We see David in his CRISIS.
“Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy… O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them,” vs. 1, 14. David is pouring out his heart to God regarding his crisis and how he saw himself. He describes the men who were against him as being proud, violent, and adverse to him. David senses his vulnerability, his inability to deal with the problems in his strength, and his need for God to meet him in this time of need. Crises reveal what is inside of us. Crises reveal how well we know the Lord. Crises reveal the greatness of our faith and of our fears.
We see David in his COMPREHENSION.
David is not a novice when it comes to crises and trials. He learned many things over the years about God during his times of crisis. “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee… For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone… But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth,” vs. 5, 10, 15. David acknowledges God being good, ready to forgive, plenteous in mercy, great, longsuffering, gracious, full of compassion, and plenty in mercy and truth. It is important that we come to the great realization of the attributes of God, and how God reveals himself to us. When David said, “Thou art God alone,” he was testifying that God was greater than his crisis! Understanding God’s attributes helps us see the light at the end of the tunnel. It helps us to be resilient and not fall apart. It helps us to be strong. It helps us to pray with great earnestness as the crisis or problem presents itself.
We see David in his CONFIDENCE.
David is a man of great faith. He knew God could be trusted, even though the crisis was tough and he could feel his enemies breathing down his neck. “Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me,” vs. 6-7. David had confidence that God heard him and the answer was on its way. He knew that he could get a hold of God in his time of need and that God would not fail him. Have faith in God in your darkest hour! Develop your prayer life now so that when the winds of opposition blow your way, you are able to withstand the pressures and distress. Oh yes, he had evenings when he was scared, but he learned God was for him. David closes his prayer by asking God to show him a token for good. “Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.” He was so confident in God’s help that he asked that those who opposed him would see evidence that God was on his side. When we understand God’s Person and power, we ask for God to show on our behalf a token for good as well.
Don’t let your trials get the best of you: let God get a hold of your trial and give you a victory. Don’t overlook God’s attributes for your life. As we acknowledge these attributes, God stands ready to act on our behalf.
Have a victorious God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: 1 Kings 15-17