The Lord's Rescue
God’s Quiet Voice Part 7: The Lord’s Rescue
Psalm 25:15
“My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.”
When I was young, I was a sprinter. But 100 yards is a long way, and I faded after 60 yards. As I aged and slowed down, distance running was a better fit for me. Now as one who is “well-seasoned,” even distance running is too painful, so instead I have embraced distance bicycling.
Life is not a sprint. When we are young, it looks that way. We are about short-term goals. As we get older, we learn to pace ourselves and keep key longer-term goals in mind. That is the mindset of David here. He is past his fiery youth. He recognizes his mistakes. He has repented of the sin he knows he has committed (murder/adultery?). He is now setting his eyes on the LORD for the long game. He knows that his help comes from the LORD. It is this alone that keeps his feet from the traps set before him as king—and there were many!
We may think that the victories we had in the past will sustain us. But that is not what we find in the lives of the Biblical heroes. They encountered new temptations and new lies, as well as old habits which they didn’t know were still there. As we mature in Christ and gain some level of responsibility, we become an even more valuable target for the enemy. We need David’s reminder. We need to remember to keep looking to God and refreshing our relationship with Him.
Hebrews 11 gives a showcase of people of faith. And those great examples of faith in chapter 11 are followed in verses 1-2 of chapter 12 by instructions to keep going:
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
There is a ton in this passage, but I want to consider a few key points.
Others have run the race well. We can too.
We may be carrying weights that need to be released. This might be occult influences, generational sins such as attitudes, or other tendencies that need to be renounced.
There are also close-clinging sins, which might be pride, defiance/rebellion, unconfessed lusts, etc. If we are willing to hear God’s call to be clean of these, we can be.
The race will need endurance. It is a long run, and there are those who oppose us. We need to learn how to run well and win our battles with the enemy.
Jesus is not only the founder of our faith, but He is also the perfecter of it. In other words, He is actively working in us and among us as a group of believers to bring about His purposes. We have someone running with us. As promised, He is with us to the end (Matthew 28:20).
We are able to have joy now and in the future. Do not give up.
Keep going. There is more of you to be perfected in Christ.
***This is our final devotional in this series on God’s Quiet Voice. We hope you’ve gained valuable insights looking at Psalm 25:8-15. If you missed any, check them out here.