Then David said, “Is there yet anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” [9:1]

“There is still a son of Jonathan who is crippled in both feet.”… “Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel in Lo-debar.” [9:3, 4]

I so love the story of Mephibosheth, the lame son of Jonathan, living in Lo-debar. Lo-Debar is translated by Bible scholars as meaning “without pasture” or “without order;” either way, not a desirable place to reside.

In Mephibosheth, we seep a picture of ourselves, lame and unable to walk with the Lord in truth, living in a place without rest or stability.

And in David, the man after God’s own heart, we see the beautiful picture of our most kind and benevolent God, Who intentionally seeks us out that He might show us His Profound Kindness.

Consider His Profound Kindness

His Profound Kindness, beyond description is magnificently portrayed in this narrative between the royal king and a man many might consider unworthy of his time and consideration.

Profound:

1. originating in the depths of one’s being
2. having deep insight or understanding
3. being or going far beneath what is superficial, external, or obvious
4. thorough, all-encompassing
5. originating far down, or far beneath the surface
6. of great and broadly inclusive; pervasive or intense;
7. difficult to fathom or understand

• 1) His Profound Kindness originates in the depths of Who He is and moves Him to seek us out
  • Then David said, “Is there yet anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” [9:1]
• 2) His Profound Kindness expresses His knowledge and understanding of our desperate need for Him
  • “There is still a son of Jonathan who is crippled in both feet.” ⁴ So the king said to him, “Where is he?… [9:3-4]
• 3) His Profound Kindness goes far beneath the obvious, reaching far beneath our external condition
  • Then King David sent and brought him… [9:5]
• 4) His Profound Kindness is all-encompassing in His restoration
  • David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show kindness to you for the sake of your father Jonathan, and will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul;” [9:7]
• 5) His Profound Kindness reaches far beneath a surface relationship; it is His invitation to intimacy
  • “…and you shall eat at my table regularly.” [9:7
• 6) His Profound Kindness is great and broadly inclusive, pervasive and intense
  • Then the king called Saul’s servant Ziba and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson. ¹⁰ You and your sons and your servants shall cultivate the land for him, and you shall bring in the produce so that your master’s grandson may have food; nevertheless Mephibosheth your master’s grandson shall eat at my table regularly.”… So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table as one of the king’s sons. [9:9-11]
• 7)His Profound Kindness is impossible to fathom or understand
  • So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate at the king’s table regularly. Now he was lame in both feet. [9:13]

How do we respond to His Profound Kindness?

His Profound Kindness… though we cannot explain it, though it is all-encompassing and is impossible to fathom, He has distinctly shown us His Profound Kindness in Jesus.

For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. ⁴ But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, ⁵ He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. [Titus 3:3-7]

Shouldn’t we too respond as Mephibosheth?

Again he prostrated himself and said, “What is your servant, that you should regard a dead dog like me?” [9:8]

Mephibosheth was overcome with his master’s Profound Kindness. But can you imagine if he had refused the king’s invitation? Who would ever…?

We too have received an invitation from a King, the King of Kings…

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” [Matthew 11:29]

Today may we hear Him Who beckons us to come and receive His Profound Kindness. Let us leave Lo-Debar to come and find our rest in Him. We don’t have to explain it; in truth we are unable, for His Kindness is Profound.

We only have to come.

Let’s Grow Together!

And the LORD helped David wherever he went. [8:6, 14]

The phrase is repeated, exactly repeated, twice.

The NIV translates it this way; The LORD gave David victory wherever he went. [8:6, 14 NIV]

And when He repeats Himself, we know it is to our advantage to pay close attention.

Our English language however, does not fully capture all the LORD did for David in His help and giving of victory. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance defines the Hebrew verb translated as helped or gave victory as follows:

3467. יָשַׁע yāšaʿ: A verb meaning to save, to help, to deliver, to defend. The underlying idea of this verb is bringing to a place of safety or broad pasture as opposed to a narrow strait, symbolic of distress and danger.

When the LORD helps us and gives victory, He delivers and defends by Bringing His people to His Broad Place, a place of safety, free from distress and danger, a place we cannot arrive ourselves.

Consider Him Who Brings Us to His Broad Place

• He Brings us to His Broad Place, a place of victory
  • Now after this it came about that David defeated the Philistines and subdued them… ² He defeated Moab… ³ Then David defeated Hadadezer… ⁶ Then David put garrisons among the Arameans of Damascus, and the Arameans became servants to David, bringing tribute. [8:1, 2, 3, 6]

• He Brings us to His Broad Place, a place of continuous support
  • And the LORD helped David wherever he went. [8:6, 14]

• He Brings us to His Broad Place, a place of worship
  • King David also dedicated these to the Lord, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated from all the nations which he had subdued: [8:11]

• He Brings us to His Broad Place, a place of notable reputation
  • So David made a name for himself [8:13]

• He Brings us to His Broad Place, a place of justice and righteousness
  • So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered justice and righteousness for all his people. [8:15]

How do we respond to Him Who Brings Us to His Broad Place?

When we come to Him by faith, trusting He is faithful, He Bring Us to His Broad Place. And once again we see Jesus.

• In Jesus, His Broad Place is a place of victory
  • But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, [2 Corinthians 2:14]

• In Jesus, His Broad Place is a place of continuous support
  • But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. [John 14:26]

• In Jesus, His Broad Place is a place of worship
  • “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. ²⁴ God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” ²⁵ The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.” ²⁶ Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” [John 4:23-26]

• In Jesus, His Broad Place is a place of notable reputation
  • Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus. [Acts 4:13]
  • …and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. ¹⁵ For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; ¹⁶ to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. [2 Corinthians 2:14-16]

• In Jesus, His Broad Place is a place of justice and righteousness
  • Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. ² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. ³ For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. [Romans 8:1-4]

Oh may He Bring Us to His Broad Place today, to see Jesus, our Deliverer, Defender and Helper, that we would walk in His victory and continuous support and be moved to live lives of worship. May His Presence in our lives manifest that others would recognize we have been with Jesus. And may we live in His Broad Place, free from condemnation as we walk according to His Spirit.

Let’s Grow Together!

I will also appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them… [7:10]

I’m partial to the concepts of planting mentioned in Scripture. I love the truths conveyed: as He plants His truth in us we are planted in Him.

Planting implies growth, that we would bear fruit. And spiritual planting implies a cooperative effort of digging; as we dig in His Word, He digs the world out of us and plants His eternal truth within.

Planting implies security. It is the Lord God Who will plant His people, in His appointed place… His Planting Place.

Consider His Planting Place

• His Planting Place… the place appointed by Him
  • I will also appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them… [7:10]

• His Planting Place… the place of His protection and security
  • …that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again, nor will the wicked afflict them any more as formerly, [7:10]

• His Planting Place… the place of His endless lovingkindness
  • but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, [7:15]

• His Planting Place… the place of His own heart revealed
  • For the sake of Your word, and according to Your own heart, You have done all this greatness to let Your servant know. [7:21]

• His Planting Place… the place His Word is confirmed
  • Now therefore, O Lord God, the word that You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house, confirm it forever, and do as You have spoken, [7:25]

• His Planting Place… the place His Name is magnified
  • that Your name may be magnified forever, by saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel’; and may the house of Your servant David be established before You. [7:26]

• His Planting Place… the place of courageous prayer
  • For You, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made a revelation to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house’; therefore Your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to You. ²⁸ Now, O Lord God, You are God, and Your words are truth, and You have promised this good thing to Your servant. ²⁹ Now therefore, may it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You. For You, O Lord God, have spoken… [7:27-29]

How do we respond to His Planting Place?

God confirmed His promise to David, that He would plant His people in the Promised Land. But He was also speaking of a future promise, the salvation He would provide through the line of David, the promised Messiah, the Son of God.

And yet this was insignificant in Your eyes, O Lord God, for You have spoken also of the house of Your servant concerning the distant future. [7:19]

When we place our faith in God’s Son for our salvation, we are placed in Him.

But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,[1Corinthians 1:30]

As we consider His Planting Place, let us reflect on Jesus, our Savior, our Planting Place of salvation, new life and growth:

• His Planting Place… the place appointed by Him
  • And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved. [Acts 4:12]

• His Planting Place… the place of His protection and security
  • “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; ²⁸ and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.” [John 10:27-30]

• His Planting Place… the place of His endless lovingkindness
  • But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. [Romans 8:37-39]

• His Planting Place… the place of His own heart revealed
  • For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. [John 3:16]

• His Planting Place… the place His Word is confirmed
  • For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silvanus and Timothy—was not yes and no, but is yes in Him. ²⁰ For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us. [2 Corinthians 1:19-20]

• His Planting Place… the place His Name is magnified
  • …so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. [Philippians 2:10-11]

• His Planting Place… the place of courageous prayer
  • Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. [Hebrews 4:16]

May we learn from David’s response.

Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord, and he said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far? [7:18]

Let us come to His Planting Place daily. May we humbly come before Him to sit at His feet that we would be planted in Him and He would plant His love in us, that we would grow in our faith and bear much fruit for His glory.

…that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. [Ephesians 3:16-19]

Let’s Grow Together!

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. [Isaiah 9:6]

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.” [Matthew 1:23]

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… ¹⁴ And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. [John 1:1, 14]

Let’s meet again tomorrow to dig in God’s Word…

Let’s Grow Together!

Today is Christmas Eve, the time we think about the Son of God leaving His rightful place in heaven to come to earth, born as a humble babe in a manger.

But today in 2 Samuel 6, we see Him Enthroned.

And David arose and went with all the people who were with him to Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the Name, the very name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned above the cherubim. [6:2]

He is not Enthroned by man; He is God, the Lord of hosts, Enthroned.

Consider Him Enthroned

Today let us take time to consider Him Enthroned, to meditate on Him as revealed in His Holy Word.

Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left. [2 Kings 22:19]

The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven; [Psalms 11:4]

In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. ² Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. ³ And one called out to another and said “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.” And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. ⁵ Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I live among a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” [Isaiah 6:1-5]

Thus says the Lord, “Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool.
Where then is a house you could build for Me?
And where is a place that I may rest?
² “For My hand made all these things,
Thus all these things came into being,” declares the Lord…
“But to this one I will look,
To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.” [Isaiah 66:1-2]

“I kept looking
Until thrones were set up,
And the Ancient of Days took His seat;
His vesture was like white snow
And the hair of His head like pure wool.
His throne was ablaze with flames,
Its wheels were a burning fire.
¹⁰ “A river of fire was flowing
And coming out from before Him;
Thousands upon thousands were attending Him,
And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him;
The court sat,
And the books were opened.” [Daniel 7:9-10]

“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; [Matthew 25:31-32]

Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, ² a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. [Hebrews 8:1-2]

Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. [Revelation 4:2]

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds… ¹⁵ And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. [Revelation 20:11-12, 15]

How do we respond to Him Enthroned?

How can we not tremble before Him as we read of Him Enthroned? We can only approach Him as He has decreed in His Word. The priest Uzzah, who with good intentions reached out to steady the ark, was immediately struck dead.

But when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen nearly upset it. ⁷ And the anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down there for his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God. [6:6-6]

Good intentions do not grant us access to Him Enthroned. We cannot approach Him, unless we come by His Way as given in His Word. The ark was not to be carried in a cart, even if it was a new cart. Man-made ways of approaching God are unacceptable.

You shall cast four gold rings for it and fasten them on its four feet, and two rings shall be on one side of it and two rings on the other side of it. ¹³ You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. ¹⁴ You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark with them. ¹⁵ The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be removed from it. [Exodus 25:12-15]

We too have been shown the way to approach Him, it is only by His Son, Jesus Christ that we are able to come to the Father.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. [John 14:6]

May we humble ourselves today as we come to Him, the babe born in Bethlehem, who humbled Himself that we might be saved.

“But to this one I will look,
To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.” [Isaiah 66:2]

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. ⁸ Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. [Philippians 2:5-8]

May we revere Him today, as we consider Him Who came as the babe in a manger, Him Enthroned in our hearts and lives.

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. [1 Peter 3:15 NIV]

Let’s Grow Together!

Finally… a Breakthrough for David. The years of running and hiding, fearing for his life, living in caves, looking for the light at the end of the tunnel… and now suddenly, everything has changed

I was struck with this thought: Breakthroughs… God doesn’t need them, but His people do. He is Sovereign and what may seem to be a Breakthrough to us, has been moving along according to His plan, exactly as He has orchestrated.

But He knows we need them, the Breakthroughs. But what we need more is Him, the Master of Breakthrough.

Consider Him, the Master of Breakthrough

• The Master of Breakthrough bestows strength
  • David became greater and greater, for the Lord God of hosts was with him. [5:10]

• The Master of Breakthrough works for the sake of His people
  • And David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel. [5:12]

• The Master of Breakthrough defeats our enemy
  • So David came to Baal-perazim and defeated them there; and he said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like the breakthrough of waters.” Therefore he named that place Baal-perazim. ²¹ They abandoned their idols there, so David and his men carried them away. [5:20-21]

• The Master of Breakthrough provides guidance
  • When David inquired of the Lord, He said, “You shall not go directly up; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the balsam trees. ²⁴ It shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you shall act promptly, for then the Lord will have gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.” [5:23-24]

• The Master of Breakthrough moves His people to obedience
  • Then David did so, just as the Lord had commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer. [5:25]

How do we respond to Him, the Master of Breakthrough?

Sometimes waiting is so terribly difficult, even painful. But He is faithful and will bring His Breakthrough, in His perfect time and His perfect way. And as we wait on Him, the Master of Breakthrough, our faith is strengthened.

Through His Breakthrough, He leads us not only to His provision of strength, victory, and guidance, but He bring us to Himself. If only we could learn to live in the reality that because He is with us, we are always in the midst of His Breakthrough, whether we feel that way or not. …for we walk by faith, not by sight— [2 Corinthians 5:7]

Most of us know and love to quote Romans 8:28: And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

What if we read Romans 8:28 like this?

And we know that God causes all things (including our sufferings and trials) to work together for good (for the sake of His people) who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

What if we learned to see the circumstances of our lives through the lens of God’s purpose? When we experience His Breakthrough on our behalf, may we realize He is always working, not just for us, but for the sake of all His people.

Perhaps we will learn to view our hardships with joy in anticipation of being used by Him, the Master of Breakthrough, to be a blessing to others.

The day is coming when we will join with all the saints to proclaim by sight, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like the breakthrough of waters.”

After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; ² because His judgments are true and righteous; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and He has avenged the blood of His bond-servants on her.” [Revelation 19:1-2]

Until that day, let us walk by faith and not sight, that others would be blessed, as we learn to trust and praise Him, the Master of Breakthrough.

Let’s Grow Together!

“As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress…” [4:9]

How could David make such a declaration? Wasn’t he in the midst of the ugly business of war, in the throes of violence and bloodshed? Isn’t that distress to the utmost? But David’s strong conviction of God’s faithfulness left the outcome in His capable hands and left no room for vengeance and murder. David would choose to trust Him Who Has Redeemed Our Life from All Distress, even with his enemies.

Consider Him Who Has Redeemed Our Life from All Distress

This verb tense used, has redeemed, is the present perfect tense and speaks of an action that began at an undetermined time in the past and continues on into the present. When David spoke of Him, who has redeemed my life from all distress, it was a declaration of God’s faithfulness to him in all his yesterdays, todays and tomorrows.

David’s confidence in God’s redemptive plan was founded in his nation’s history, his own daily experiences and in the Word of God. When life and circumstances seemed to scream in contradiction to what he knew, David placed his faith in Him Who Has Redeemed Our Life from All Distress.

David knew:

• He Has Redeemed Our Life from All Distress in the past.
  • God spoke further to Moses and said to him, “I am the Lord; ³ and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, Lord, I did not make Myself known to them. ⁴ I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they sojourned. ⁵ Furthermore I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, because the Egyptians are holding them in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant. ⁶ Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. ⁷ Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. [Exodus 6:2-7]
  • Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
    For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
    ² Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
    Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary [Psalm 107:2]

• He Has Redeemed Our Life from All Distress and continues to each and every day
  • In my distress I called upon the Lord,
    And cried to my God for help;
    He heard my voice out of His temple,
    And my cry for help before Him came into His ears.

¹⁶ He sent from on high, He took me;
He drew me out of many waters.
¹⁷ He delivered me from my strong enemy,
And from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.
¹⁸ They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
But the Lord was my stay.
¹⁹ He brought me forth also into a broad place;
He rescued me, because He delighted in me. [Psalm 18:6, 16-19 ]

• He Has Redeemed Our Life from All Distress and will do so in all our tomorrows
  • But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol,
    For He will receive me. [Psalm 49:15]
  • As for me, I shall call upon God,
    And the Lord will save me.
    ¹⁷ Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and murmur,
    And He will hear my voice.
    ¹⁸ He will redeem my soul in peace from the battle which is against me, [Psalm 55:16-18]

How do we respond to Him Who Has Redeemed Our Life from All Distress?

Didn’t David know distress at the time he spoke of Him who has redeemed my life from all distress? From ALL distress… really? But David understood the only thing that is of eternal distress is being separated from Him. When we belong to Him by faith, we can surrender all of the past injustices and mistakes, current hurts and failures, and the unknowns and fears of tomorrow into His loving hands; for He Has Redeemed Our Life from All Distress.

• When we place our faith in the sacrifice of His shed blood on the cross and are saved by grace, we can trust our past with Him Who Has Redeemed Our Life from All Distress
  • In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace ⁸ which He lavished on us. [Ephesians 1:7-8]
  •  even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), [Ephesians 2:5]
  • For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. [Colossians 1:13-14]

• Let us seek to grow in our desire, joy and love for Him Who Has Redeemed Our Life from All Distress as we trust Him to work in us each and every day.
  • So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; ¹³ for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. [Philippians 2:12-13]
  • and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, [1 Peter 1:8]

• May we live in full assurance and peace as we face all our tomorrows because we know we belong to Him Who Has Redeemed Our Life from All Distress.
  • In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. [Ephesians 1:13-14]
  • Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. [Philippians 4:6-7]

Let’s Grow Together!