Monday, 4 June 2012

Psalm 108: Come on then, if you think you're hard enough!


By Andy Flood


David is ready for a fight! He's confident in his God, he knows that, if God is for him who can be against him.
He remembers the previous victories of battles past and glorifies God for them.

However, David manages not be triumphalistic, because his faith is based on God's promises and he knows it is God who provides the victory, he's not going in to the battle blind.

"Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
Have you not rejected us, O God?
You do not go out, O God, with our armies.
Oh grant us help against the foe,
for vain is the salvation of man!
With God we shall do valiantly;
it is he who will tread down our foes." (Psalm 108:10-13 ESV)


Although we hold a reasonable faith, sometimes we can be guilty of being unrealistic or triumphalistic in our prayers. That's not to say we shouldn't be audacious in what we ask of our Father, but sometimes our prayers can be all mouth and no trousers, just shouting "COME ON THEN IF YOU THINK YOU'RE HARD ENOUGH," with no action to back it up.

We are called to pray, and that in itself is action. But our words must be followed by a life of worship, reflecting the God we so love, showing that love to the community around us. Day in-day out consistent love for our neighbour. That's how real battle is done.

Sometimes, though, love for our neighbour means standing up for what we believe is God's will. Not just going with the flow but speaking out against injustice and not accepting that the 'norm' is acceptable.

We're called by Jesus to be salt and light.  So let's break from the 'norm' and be what we're supposed to be.

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