Many are saying of me, "God will not deliver him." – Psalm 3:2

Today's Scripture Reading (June 13, 2022): Psalms 2 & 3

A pastor told the story of what should have been one of the best moments of his life. He had planted the church years earlier, and on this day, the church was about to move into the building they had planned and built. After years in a rented building, on this morning, his church had planned a march; they were going to walk from their former rented place of worship to the new sanctuary that the church had constructed.

But, at the same moment the Pastor and most of his congregation were making the march between facilities, a group of leaders was meeting together, plotting a way to get rid of the Pastor. They had a disagreement with him over some trivial matter, and they wanted to rid themselves of what they saw as a problem. So, as the Pastor marched to the new sanctuary with members of the congregation, on a day that should have been filled with joy, this Pastor's heart was heavy, and joy seemed to be a distant fantasy.

I heard this Pastor speak of his experience at a time when a similar thing was happening to me. It was a time when I felt much like David. Many seemed to be against me. Not everyone, but it sometimes seems like it is everyone at moments like this. And I could almost hear those conspiring against me say that "God will not deliver him." Later, I would listen to some of the stories told about me. The stories were almost enough to make me doubt that God would deliver me. Of course, the rumors were filled with lies, but since it was stories told to other people, there was no opportunity for me to defend myself. It was an experience that still can cause me nightmares.

At that moment, I needed nothing more than to hear from a pastor who had gone through something like what I was experiencing, someone who had reached the other side. I needed to know what was possible after a time of deep destruction. And I believe that God brought me to the Testimony of this Pastor. During this time of my life, I gave birth to this blog. It was a way of dealing with feelings and discovering the God that I needed at that moment.

David is writing this Psalm as he is in exile, running from his son. And he hears the comments of those conspiring against him. They believe that David's sins were so great that even God had turned his back on the former King.

The problem is that that belief that God would turn his back on us can only be considered by those who have no connection with God. Whenever we believe that we are beyond God's help or point at someone else who is beyond his help, we only reveal to others that we really don't understand the character of God. David was not beyond the help of God. And neither was the unnamed Pastor as he marched from a rented building to the new sanctuary. Neither was I in the moment of my great distress. Therefore, the real good news is that neither are you. Regardless of what it might be that you have done, God is still on your side. And he is only a breath away.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalms 4 & 5