My Defense: My Defender!
In addition to putting ourselves into the Psalms, I had
another idea; we can go through a few verses and maybe add somebody’s name who
we are either burdened for or in conflict with. This, too, can provide so many
a-ha moments and deepen our understanding of God’s principles and promises to
us and for us. The Word does not have to remain an overwhelming mystery to us,
Coffee Hour Friend! Let’s get started in Psalm 26, a Psalm about how commitment
to God can give us strength to stand up to opposition and examination!
Have you ever felt like you were getting the third degree,
like your every move was being watched and/or questioned? Or how about being
falsely accused of doing something you didn’t do? It’s not a good feeling, and
it’s the extreme opposite of how our Loving Father wants us to feel as He
guides us through opposition and/or examination. David is a great example of one who has his
heart “cleansed” consistently, showing up to meet with Abba for his cleansing.
Listen to his plea, which is almost in the form of a defense in the first five
verses:
1Vindicate
me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity. I have also trusted in the Lord.
I shall not slip. 2Examine me, O, Lord, and prove me; try my mind and my hear ,3for Your loving
kindness is before my eyes and I have walked in Your truth.4I have
not sat with idolatrous mortals, nor
will I go in with hypocrites.5 I have hated the assembly of
evildoers and will not sit with the wicked.
Okay, let’s try and bring this home to our hearts. Do you have
at least one person’s name that your heart is just aching over, or a person
with whom you are in conflict with? Okay, let’s do this!
1Father, when will you vindicate me in the eyes
of those who persecute me? Despite their attacks, give me strength to walk in
and with integrity, to trust you, Lord that I do not slip by fighting this
spiritual battle that has eternal value with my worldly flesh.
Now, if you really want to add more life, put an actual name
in there! Let’s go on to the second verse.
2Lord, help me to examine myself, staying in my own
lane, my own car, not swerving into others’ causing wrecks in the wake, so that
when you examine me, my mind and my heart will both be found clean, according
to you. Your love helps me to walk in truth, O, Lord. I cannot deny that even
when I veer to the left or right, your love not only pulls me back, but washes
me clean. I’m so very thankful for your steadfast love!
Let’s push pause for a second. See, I don’t know about you,
but I often need this reminder, that He is the examiner of the heart and soul,
not ME, so by staying in my own car, driving in my own lane – not in others’
business, not pointing fingers – I can come before Him and allow Him to examine
me and correct me because I long to have a pure heart, to be found as a good
and faithful servant, especially in relationships.
So when we sit for just a few minutes in His principles and
promises, the need to defend ourselves takes a turn back to the One who defends
us and there is suddenly no need to defend ourselves, but to seek His truth,
that we may be found defended!
Go ahead and continue with your rewrite and remember,
sharing your heart is not a grammatical exercise of perfection…it just requires
transparency.
Soaking up the Psalms…
Evinda
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