God, our only help

"This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine . . ."

Many of us sang that song as children. It's perfect for our post today. We are focusing on verse eight of our psalm:

Trust in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your hearts before Him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah

David just couldn't hold in the joy he felt. He knew that God was his salvation. What a wonderful verse! David was using the joy he felt, and the peace he possessed in the midst of trials, to encourage others!

He said, "Trust in Him at all times!"

Like in the words of the children's song, David is encouraging us to be a light, a witness to others. Sure, we all have trouble staying in that place of peace, but when we are there, and we are calm, we are a light for others. We can show other believers and unbelievers, as well, that God only is our refuge.

Do we worry sometimes, about telling hurting people to trust in God? Do we worry that it sounds too "pat," or casual? Oh, dear reader, these are not pat answers. These are tried and true words . . . these are uttered by the voice of experience, as they say. David isn't giving out casual advice here. He's telling us how he endured this terrible attack. How he survived the schemes and fierce attacks from cunning enemies. 

He trust in God only.

He poured out his heart to God.

He took refuge in God alone.

He's telling us to do the same! What God was to David in his extreme trials, He can be to us in our times of crisis. And don't we all have stories to tell, just as David did? We all have had times when we knew our only hope was our Lord, and He was faithful to save us! Those are stories that can be shared, and they are stories that can encourage others.

But wait just a minute, here. How does "pour out your hearts" (in verse eight) jive with "waiting silently" in verse one and five? Well, they are NOT contradictions! Waiting silently for God is to make sure that our hearts are in submission to Him. It's remembering His sovereign love in the face of our trials. It's reminding ourselves of His purpose and His love, even when our human natures say "this is all wrong!" "This can't be!" 

Pouring out our hearts is when we unburden ourselves in prayer. We can lay all of our anxieties, our confusion, and our pain at the foot of the cross. 

having cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares about you. (I Peter 5:7)

Ohhhh, how we humans stumble around. We keep our troubles bottled up inside. We try with all our might to escape our troubles with our own ingenuity. What's the real answer? To pour out our hearts before Him. To lay those troubles down at the cross. 

And then, don't pick 'em right back up again!

David has shown us now that we can be calm, cool, and collected if God alone is our salvation. We can have peace in trials, and we can be a witness; we can encourage others to trust in Him as their refuge. Of course, it's a battle to get to this place of peace - and to stay there!

David's going to change gears just a bit tomorrow. . . .