Today’s reading is Psalm 13.
As we’ve said, David is writing in the interim between when God gives His promises and God grants His promises. Let’s face it, the way this psalm starts shocks us. We can’t believe any servant of God would be so bold as to question, “How long?!” However, seeing where the psalm starts makes the ending even more shocking. The beginning shocks us because it seems like it lacks faith. However, the end actually demonstrates there was faith all along. David is questioning. He is struggling. He is in a time of weakness, doubt, and fear. However, there is an underlying point we often miss at the beginning of the psalm. When David asks God, “How long?” what is he doing? He is praying. He is reaching out to God. Even when he fears he has been forsaken and forgotten, he is demonstrating a faith that salvation and victory can only come from one place: God. And for all his questioning and pleading, he also affirms that he will not abandon God. God has declared His steadfast love. God has promised salvation. And David is going to sing to the Lord either because he remembers times past when God has arisen and dealt bountifully with him (think Psalm 12:5) or because he is so convinced God will come through for him that he is able to state it as if it has already happened. And this is what John meant when he said our faith is the victory (1 John 5:4). If David had abandoned his faith, he would have abandoned his God, his only means of victory. But because he believed and maintained his faith, he overcame. You may be asking, “How much faith do I have to have to gain the victory?” Great question. Only enough to keep hanging on to God no matter what. Only enough to just keep following where He leads. Only enough to just keep doing what He said. Live by faith, not by sight. God is winning. You can take that to the bank.
Next week’s reading is Psalm 14.
A Word for Our Kids
Hey kids, as you grow up hearing sermons and Bible class lessons and having Bible discussions, you will hear over and over again that we need to walk by faith and not by sight. Think of Psalm 13 when you hear that phrase. David can’t see God. He can’t feel God. He can’t even see any evidence that God is actually doing what He promised. He can’t even point to any events going on right now in his life to show that God is working everything together for good. But what does he do anyway? He believes God is doing something. Sure, in his moments of despair, he cries out. Sure, he asks questions. But even in those questions he is drawing closer to God. Even in those questions he is asserting his faith that God is really out there, God is really listening, and talking to God really matters. Please, don’t misunderstand. There will be plenty of times in your discipleship life when life will be wonderful, when it is obvious that you are blessed by God and things just really couldn’t be better short of being in heaven. But there will be times when you simply can’t find any evidence or feel any evidence of God’s presence or blessing. That is when faith really matters. When you can’t see God around you, keep living like you can. Keep following His Word like you can. I promise you, you’ll be glad you did.
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