DAY 21.
We are fast coming to the end of this terrific Psalm and today we look at vs.153 – 160 and we are to look at the promises of God that can be worked out in greater depth by all of us.
Here the writer is looking at the really deep water that he is going through, things seem to get harder the closer we draw to the Lord.
He does not remove the obstacles in front of us but rather is watching us carefully to see what lessons we have learned already looking to see how we over come them.
The great lesson that every child of God must face as they walk by faith and not by sight is to bring everything to God in prayer all the time.
It is easy for us to think that we can cope with the situations that confront us without first seeking the Lord's help.
We are prone to move into the day without spending time with the Lord and then start complaining that we are 'in a mess Lord, so why don't you help me'.
'Consider' v 153 points us to us seeking to know why the Lord seems to have forgotten us when we in fact we are taking Him for granted.
'Consider' in human terms means look at my plight or situation, view it quickly and come to my aid, 'deliver' is not rescue as a drowning man but extricate me, remove the constraints.
He is wanting a life of freedom from problem and difficulty and not a life of constant battle with total reliance upon the Lord.
He is a man reading the word regularly and applying it to his life but is still prone to look around instead of communing constantly with the Lord.
A few studies ago we looked sat the ankle deep water, knee deep and then the really deep water, in Ezekiel, David had swum in that deep water but occasionally returned to the paddling water for pleasure.
There is a place of no return in the Christian life where our commitment to the Lord is fully extended sadly few ever get there.
The majority of saints are content to paddle in the water splashing around with joy in the services and meetings in the church.
They are constantly running to the church for help without realising that the Lord is the one we should be running too.
Most of our problems and defeats come as a result of us not waiting upon the Lord seeking to know His presence and company along the way.
David acknowledges that he has skipped some lessons and is trying to catch up, the Tutor is letting him know that the all the lessons are important for spiritual growth.
There are no short cuts in the spiritual life and every moment is important as is every lesson if we are to grow to spiritual maturity.
We look at v 154 and to that important word 'plead' instantly we look up to the Throne of Grace and see our precious Lord Jesus standing pleading for us.
There is a man in the glory pleading for us, He is our Great High Priest, He meets the demands of the Father and can meet those demands for us.
We can approach the Throne with confidence because the Lord Jesus is interceding for us continually it matters not where we are or what time it is He is pleading for us.
The thought of coming to deliver us is human because spiritually He is right along side us all the time seeing the Holy Spirit resides in us.
The fact is that we are not conscious of His presence because we treat Him as a friend who is there to help us when things go wrong and not the friend that is closer than any earthly friend could be.
He sees, knows and understands us in ways that no earthly person could do no matter how close they are to us but sadly we abuse this privilege so often.
It is we who need the quickening and not our Saviour, it is we that need constant reminders from Gods word that He is missing our attention and company.
The promises of Gods word are here for us to dwell on and to apply to our life, 'I will never leave you or forsake you' comes from the Lord Jesus.
Our heavenly Father tells us that 'though a mother may forsake her child He will never abandon us' and in Isaiah 66 v 13 'as one whom his mother comforteth, so I will comfort you'.
What a beautiful tender picture is displayed by our Father who is reaching out continually to draw us away from the traps and snares laid out to catch His erring children unawares.
His heart is always set on His children they are never out of His sight or reach the moment we cry out His hand is there to steer us clear or to lift us up after falling.
There comes the thought to me here in v 155 that salvation is far from the wicked man but it is close at hand for the diligent saint.
'Salvation belongs to our God' Psalm 3 v 8, Isaiah 43 v 11, Jeremiah 3 v 23 and Proverbs 21 v 31 and this comes as a promise to the believing soul Isaiah 45 vs.17 – 19.
'Salvation' here means to help, to give aid and to bring welfare to the child of God in their distress, now that is a mouth watering study in itself.
God shows help to those seeking to walk uprightly according to His word giving them the strength they need to overcome.
Our heavenly Father gives us aid as we walk on the path of righteousness enabling us to fulfil our daily duties in life giving us mastery over the world, flesh and devil.
It is the Living God who designs our welfare meeting the physical and spiritual needs that occur in our daily round and common tasks of life.
What a mighty salvation there is for us to enjoy and the tragedy that the wicked have little or no knowledge of what they are missing in rejecting His mighty salvation in Jesus Christ.
The word 'beginning' is an interesting word it means the 'sum total' in the Proverbs, the 'beginning of wisdom' is found with God, it is complete knowledge that needs no adding too what has been revealed.
