Skip to main content

Deliver Me

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me; turn your ear to me and save me. Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.

Psalms 71:1‭-‬4 NIV

Do you remember playing tag?  Much of my childhood I grew up on a culdesac.  There were plenty of neighborhood kids in the "circle", as we called it. Most evenings it was filled with kids playing together until moms and dads called us home.  Summers were the best.  It stayed light longer and often we were able to stay out and play after it was dark. 

We played all kinds of games and rode bikes, big wheels, and any other creation we could get our hands on.  One of my favorite games we played was good old tag. Of course, in the game someone is "it".  The object of the game is not to get tagged and become "it".  If you did become "it", you had to find someone else and tag them, making them "it".  There were all kinds of variations to rules like "no tag backs" or an established "base".

Base was a safe place where you couldn't be tagged.  As long as you were touching base you were untaggable! You could catch your breath or plot your next move.  But the base was a place of safety and rest.

When I read Psalm 71, I think of being on base when we are with God.  We have refuge from the craziness of the world surrounding us.  We are rescued and delivered to safety.  God provides a fortress to protect us from whomever is "it" in our walk on this earth.  Cruelty has no footing on our rock. 

Our rock and salvation is only found in Jesus Christ.  He endured torture and overcame death to provide us refuge.  In Jesus we find rest and protection.  In Jesus we are not defined by this world and we are delivered from its evilness and cruelty.  The king of kings provides the ultimate “base”, as his death and resurrection deliver us from eminent doom and redeem us with God.  

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing,

Matt



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Right In Front of Me

There is one character in the story of the night of Jesus' arrest that sticks out. He seems insignificant to what is happening. He’s almost an interruption in the story. He is only mentioned by name in one of the four gospels, even though the description of what occurred is in all four gospels.  Malchus is his name. He works for the people who want Jesus dead. His job, with his compadres, is to seize Jesus and bring him back to the high priest. There he would be subject to questioning, a trial of sorts.  As Malchus and his posse are approaching, Peter takes action to protect Jesus. “With that, one of Jesus' companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear” (Matthew 26:51). Jesus immediately tells Peter and the rest of his disciples to stop with the violence.  I wonder what Malchus thought at this point. I imagine his was in shock, I would guess he was surprised. He had just been attacked and surely is bleeding ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Glow Differently

I saw this quote recently, “You glow differently when your confidence is fueled by belief in yourself instead of validation from others.” I found myself wrestling with it. I completely agree with the concept that the validation of my worth is not established by the thoughts of others. While I think a positive self image is important, I do not think that it is what really makes me “glow differently.” I hope I glow differently because of whom I believe in, rather than what I believe of myself.  The author of Titus says, “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:4-7) . Love and kindness entered the world in the form of a m...
Post a Comment
Read more

Pray for Me

I struggle with praying for myself.  I have no problem setting aside time to read the Bible.  No problem setting aside quiet time to pray for the needs of others.  I pray for our prayer list at church, for my family, friends, family of friends, those I have the opportunity to serve, and those who simply ask for me to pray for rhem. Let me share a little secret, for many years I have had a career working in athletics.  This means I hear the national anthem more often than the normal person. I don't sing the national anthem.  Not because I am not patriotic, but because it gives me a chance for a brief moment of quiet in the storm.  I spend that time with my Father in heaven.  I pray for the health and safety of the participants.  I pray for the coaches that they may lead in a way that Jesus would be proud. I pray for the officials and their discernment. I pray often and for many others.  When it comes to me, I just seem to glance ov...
Post a Comment
Read more