The Calming Patterns Found in Trusting God
“My heart is steadfast, God,
(Psalm 57: 7-11 NASB)
my heart is steadfast;
I will sing,
yes, I will sing praises!
Awake, my glory!
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise You, Lord,
among the peoples;
I will sing praises to You
among the nations.
For Your goodness is great
to the heavens
And Your truth to the clouds.
Be exalted above the heavens, God;
May Your glory be above all the earth.”
Last year, we purchased a field adjacent to our property, eight acres (+/-), that I often refer to as our “swamp” property because there is a great possibility that one could leave behind his shoes in the muck of the ground. If one chooses to walk across the span of this property after a rain, the ground becomes quite swamp-like.
Once this property was purchased (at a price HIGHER than any other owned property) my better half began working to improve the land’s disrepair. He has diligently sought to tear down the numerous fences that encompassed the property and sow new grass seed. All of this work has caused the new land to take great shape, to become almost “pretty.” As I look out the living room window toward the property, I almost wonder if the muck still exists.
Is that not a great deal like a person’s character.
On the outside, we can have all types of barriers (aka—fencing) surrounding us, holding us back from doing what we know we should really do.
On the surface, we can be covered with layers (aka—vegetation & grass) that appears to be healthy but are really dead.
On the chance that we take a ‘walk-about’ into our interior, we can become water-logged (aka—trapped in muck and sinking ground) thinking we are filled with holiness when really (if the truth were told) we’re a stinky mess.
There is great shalom—God’s peace—that comes through the Calming Patterns in Trusting God.
Take for example King David. He was a shepherd boy who was exalted to royal highness by the prophet Nathan when he anointed David’s head with oil.
Consider for example King David. He was a young warrior who was sent by his father to the war’s front line to check on the safety of his brothers, but once there, David knew he was called to slay Goliath the giant.
Yes, King David who was called to bide his time during the reign of current King Saul. As a musician, young King David was often brought into the king’s chamber to play for the current king, to help take away King Saul’s demons and bad dreams.
Then later, it is King David who had to flee for his life when King Saul’s army pursued David. This caused King David to seek refuge inside a dark cave as the waring party pursued.
It was there, inside the depth of the cave, away from everything, where David penned this truth: The Calming Patterns Found in Trusting God.
Read with me David’s words.
See the repetition, the patterns.
Sense the Calm.
“My heart
“My heart”
Have we accepted God’s gift of salvation?
Have we given God our heart, soul, mind, and strength?
“is steadfast,
is steadfast,”
Are we immovable within our faith?
Are we standing firmly planted on the Solid Rock of Jesus Christ?
“I will sing,
I will sing,”
Do we sing praises to our Savior and Redeemer?
Do we sing praises to our King, even when we are plagued with life-struggles?
Do we unashamedly proclaim as we sing to the world surrounding us of our majestic KING of Kings?
“Awake,
Awake,”
Arise and stand and walk into this day—fully awake.
Arise and seek what God would have you do—fully cognizant & prepared.
“I will
I will
I will”
Are we readily going wherever the Holy Spirit leads us to go?
Are we readily doing whatever the Holy Spirit leads us to do?
Are we readily seeking to serve our LORD in whatever capacity He desires?
“Among
Among”
To what people is our Heavenly Father sending us?
To what nation is Almighty God sending us?
“Your
Your”
God’s great goodness—truly all that matters!
God’s ultimate truth—timely and eternal!
“to the heavens
to the clouds.”
One day, very soon, we who believe & accept Jesus as Savior will fly away—to the heavens where we will reside forever with God.
One day, very soon, we who believe & accept Jesus as Savior will fly away—to the clouds above the earth.
“For Your goodness is great
(Psalm 57: 10 NASB)
to the heavens
And Your truth to the clouds.”
This past year, England received a new king (King Charles) to its throne when reigning Queen Elizabeth II died.
Consider the enormity of that statement.
She reigned until her death. As billions of people in the world viewed her funeral procession earlier this year, they found themselves intrigued by this beautiful queen who proclaimed Jesus as Lord, even at her death.
At Westminster Abbey in London during her funeral on September 19, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby spoke these words:
“We can all share the queen’s hope, which in life and death inspired her servant leadership—service in life, hope in death. All who follow the queen’s example and inspiration of her trust and faith in God can with her say: “We will meet again.”
In a sense, Queen Elizabeth II scripted her entire service, one that glorified God.
Queen Elizabeth II wrote the pages of her life-book as she lived, glorifying God as she kept God’s Word deep within her heart.
The world watched the queen’s procession and funeral (billions did that day) and knew without a doubt: Jesus Christ is the Son of God; He came to earth to redeem humanity from their sins.
Queen Elizabeth II made that very clear, and amazingly, over half the world’s population heard this proclamation.
Prior to her majesty’s reign, her dad King George VI sat on the throne of England. During his time on the throne, he endured the beginning turmoil of WWII. During an annual Christmas address, King George VI spoke these words:
“A new year is at hand.
We cannot tell what it will bring.
If it brings peace, how thankful we shall all be.
If it brings us continued struggle, we shall remain undaunted.”
- May we, like King David, praise and glory and serve God.
- May we, like King George VI, seek the peace of God, even while living among life’s struggles.
- May we, like Queen Elizabeth II, proclaim to the world the name of Jesus Christ as Savior and Redeemer.
In closing, years ago, Bible theologian Charles H. Spurgeon wrote these words:
“Jesus uses the whole range of our experience to wean us from earth and woo us to Heaven.”
Finally, in the words of praise (written by King David) to the KING of kings:
“Be exalted above the heavens, God;
(Psalm 57: 11 NASB)
May Your glory [God’s glory] be above all the earth.”