God is Mighty

LOOK: “Let all who love your saving way say over and over, “God is Mighty!”  Psalm 70:4 (The Message)

LEARN: Psalm 70 was written by King David at a time when his enemies were breathing down his back.  They threatened to kill him on more than one occasion, and this is just one of the many times they were literally hunting him down.  David was growing old; his strength was waning.  As always in such situations, David turns to God and cries out for help.  “God!  Please hurry to my rescue! God, come quickly to my side!” Who has not called out to God with a similar sense of urgency at one time or another?

What I love most about about David is that he was real before God.  No pretense.  No pride.  He just came to God with a wide open and tender heart. David often starts his Psalms with cries to the Lord, pouring out his complaints.  Time after time, David questions God.  “Will the Lord walk off and leave us for good?  Will he never smile again?  Is his love worn threadbare?  Has is salvation promise burned out? Has God forgotten his manners?  Has he angrily stalked off and left us?” (Psalm 77:7-9, The Message)  David was honest and at times, David was doubtful.  Is God really here for me?  If He is, why is He hiding?

Although David may have started his Psalm crying out to God in complete and utter despair, you quickly discover David’s greater conviction is that God is mighty and able to save him. He knew God’s hand could rescue him from any bad situation.  David ended each heart-wrenching Psalm with the thoughts of hope and trust in God’s unfailing love. “But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.” (Psalm 71:14, The Message) The rest of the Psalm focuses on the effects of God’s saving help.  Not only will David be saved and rescued, all believers will find hope that they too, will receive the same type of deliverance when facing a similar situation.

Not many of us feel like praising God when we are in the middle of trouble. Yet, the apostle Paul tells us to “Thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.” (1 Th 5:18) It took me a while to figure out that God does not expect us to thank him for the troubles we’re facing, but we can thank Him in anticipation of our deliverance from them. This is how David was able to praise God in any and all hard times.  He knew God was mighty and that His help was certain and effective.

LIVE: GOD IS MIGHTY
1. Mark what strikes you as significant in the information above.
2. Identity a time of trouble you may have experienced in the past, or are currently experiencing.  Describe your initial response towards God in this situation.
3. Assess how David’s example of praising God, no matter what, might motivate you to do the same?
4.  If you were to give God thanks in all circumstances, analyze how this might help you?
5.  Write a prayer asking God to help you give thanks in anticipation of His mighty rescue.