Where’s Your Strength?

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:2)

In the American culture of independence and “I can do it myself”, I don’t think we fully understand the impact of this verse. Sure, we quote this verse a lot and sing songs based on the theme of this verse and others like it, but do we stand on and embrace this verse like David did?

For David, this verse, and the psalm that it’s a part of, was a declaration. David wrote these words as God delivered him from the hands of his enemies and from Saul. David learned in those situations that he had to depend on God, and that there was nothing he could do to change the situation he found himself in.

Even though he had a clear call of God on his life, his life at this point was not leading toward the obvious fulfillment of that call to be king.

So often, this verse is sung or quoted at the same time we are trying to figure out what to do to fix a painful situation or what to say when our character, ministry, or job is called into question. Our tendency is to respond, to defend, or to retaliate. Our natural response is to take up the cause and fight to the end.

On our own.

When I read this verse, I’m reminded of the image above. Alone the man could not withstand the immense battering of the waves.

But for him the lighthouse is a stronghold that provides safety and security.

In the challenges of life, do we believe that the Lord is our safety and stronghold? When we face adversity, do we stand confident that the Lord is our deliverer? When others come against us, do we stand behind our God as our Deliverer and Defender? There is no end to the challenges in this life. I am learning that the Lord provides the safety, security, and sufficiency I need as I place my trust and faith in Him as my fortress and deliverer.