II Samuel 22:47       

“The Lord lives!                                                                                                                                                       Blessed be my Rock!
Let God be exalted,
The Rock of my salvation!

     It is sometimes said that the only constant in life is change. That seems true. It was certainly true for David. He had grown up the youngest of eight boys and often the forgotten one. He tended the sheep while they did man’s work. Until the day he was delivering supplies and saw Goliath. After that day he was an attendant in Saul’s court. He was Saul’s personal musician - until he became a captain in Saul’s army. He had great success! So great that he drew Saul’s jealousy. Then he became Saul’s enemy. Until Saul died and he became king. He experienced great victories and a personal failure or two. And now he looks back.

     So much is so different from when I was a boy. I grew up in a quiet town and knew I could count on my mother and father to care for my needs. In the church in which I grew up were some dear ladies that were always teaching Sunday school, or helping out in other ways. I went to school and one day was like another. But then I went to college. Those were great days, but so soon were gone. When I got married, I knew that I had many more responsibilities. Until we had kids - then I learned what real responsibility felt like! I went to school every day - until I didn’t anymore. Now I am the pastor of a church. And I often look back.

     Looking back gives us a perspective that is often very difficult to see in the moment. Getting older gave David a chance to evaluate his life as a whole. What he saw was a string of events that had one thing in common - God was in it all. He saw that, though in the moment things were often difficult, God had been with him. He was David’s rock. Why wouldn’t He be praised and exalted!

     When I look back I also see God’s hand at work. I have had many trying times. Too many of them have been my own fault! But God has been there through it all.

     When we put our trust in God, we do not have one long unbroken string of successes. We have a rock that we can lean on and cling to. We have a God that cares about us and walks with us, even through the problems that we caused. David certainly thought that. I see it too.

     You can have that too. One day at a time. Just leaning on and cling to the Rock of your salvation.

 

Blessings,

Pastor Russ