I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. – Psalm 57:9

Today's Scripture Reading (April 21, 2022): Psalm 57

Poet M. Rehan Behleem instructs that "The tree that bends down escapes the storm...!!!" it is a fact that endures throughout our lives. Behleem's instruction about trees is intended to reflect a reality about our lives. A tree that stands straight and strong when the sun shines is prone to be broken by the strong winds accompanying the storm. But the ones that are willing to sway, bending to the whims of the storm, will still be standing when the storm passes and the sun returns. If we are insistent about standing strong, we will break during a strong storm. But, if we are willing to bend with the wind, it is possible to survive the storm.

David is in the midst of a storm. He has escaped from the Philistines of Gath, and he has evaded Saul's army, but life is far from good. Life in the cave of Adullam is far from easy. David still can't go home, let alone to the palace he has lived in for the most recent portion of his life. And the lies of the political leaders are still being circulated about him.

David decides, despite his circumstances, that the cave of Adullam will become his cathedral, and he will continue to fill the cave with music that glorifies his God. He will continue to praise God and sing his praises to him from the midst of the cave. David refuses to let his circumstances dictate his attitude and his worship. David commits himself to bending his knee in the worship of his God.

David knows the plans that God has for him. And he rejoices in what the future holds, even though his present is dark and gloomy. David has decided that he will bend amid the storm. Specifically, he will bend his knee in worship in his Cathedral of Adullam. And because he was willing to bend in the midst of the storm, David knew that he would survive until the storm subsided. He was confident that God would bring him through the storm and that there was hope on the other side.

We know that storms are transient. They pass through our lives, but they never stay. And the best attitude for all of us is to be willing to bend ourselves in the worship of our God and wait for the storm to pass, knowing that there is no doubt that the sun will shine again and that God's promises will be fulfilled in our midst.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 142