Week 9 - Day 4

June 28, 2008
Day 4/ Week 9

A Great Celebration

Today's Treasure: 2 Samuel 22: 20
"He brought me to a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me"

I don't know about you, but these words bring tears to my eyes! Does it overwhelm you to realize that God actually delights in you? It absolutely overwhelms me! Of all the beautiful creations that He has to take in on this earth, why is it me that He delights in? Of course, I realize that we are His prize creation. I understand that the Lord created us for relationship, and that He created us to love. But me? Could He possibly DELIGHT in me? That is enough to take my breath away!!! Today, we will take a look at David's response to the victory God brought to him after a lifetime of battle.

Read 2 Samuel 22:1. How did David present these words to the Lord?

A: He sang them

On what occasions did David present these words to the Lord?

A: When the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and when the Lord delivered him from the hand of Saul

The words that David offers in this chapter represent many years of refuge in the Lord. He remembered the same words he had sung after God delivered him from Saul. Now, he is once again being delivered from the Philistines. It is important to note that both of the conflicts in the life of David seemed they would never end and took all of David's strength.

Try to describe a time when you have been exhausted after a long battle.  

Fighting this cancer has got to be the biggest battle that has ever been put before me. It is a physical battle and an emotional battle. I struggle with fear of what the future holds for me as far as treatments are concerned, and I wrestle with the guilt of not being the same mother that I was able to be only a few short months ago. These drugs wear on your body. They consume your strength and make you feel as though you cannot focus on anything else around you other than the fatigue of your mind and your muscles. There are days that I long to stay wrapped tightly in the blankets of my bed, unwilling to face the struggles between my boys and the needs of maintaining our house. I think the thing that makes it the most difficult is knowing that this is going to be a lifelong battle. It is not going to end tomorrow!!! Yet, I know that the Lord is going to maintain my strength. He will carry me through each appt. and each treatment. I will glorify Him knowing that He is thinks enough of me to use me for His purpose.

 
 
Read 2 Samuel 22: 1 – 51.  
 List every single name, object, or role by which David refers to God:  
My Rock, my fortress, my deliverer, my shield, my stronghold, my refuge and my salvation
 
Which verses and phrases describe God in such a way that you are awed by Him?
"He reached down from on high and took hold of me…" (vs. 17)
"He rescued me because He delighted in me…" (vs. 20)
"To the faithful, you show yourself faithful…" (vs. 26)
 
Which verses and phrases describe how God readies His warrior(s) for battle?
"He makes my feet like the feet of a deer", "It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect…", "He trains my hands for battle. My arms can bend a bow of bronze.", "You give me your shield of victory"
 
Which verses and phrases testify that God blesses the obedient?
"To the faithful you show yourself faithful"
"To the blameless you show yourself blameless"
"To the pure you show yourself pure"
"You save the humble"
 
Which verses and phrases acknowledge God's word?
"As for God, His way is perfect. The Word of the Lord is flawless"
 
Which verses and phrases remind you that god hears the cries of His children?
"From His temple He heard my voice; my cry came to his ear"
"He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him"
 
To which one verse can you most readily relate?
"The waves of death swirled around me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me"
"He reached down on high and took hold of me…"
 
Imagine a book recording the history between you and God - things you have been through together. What would be the title of your book? List the names of five chapters.

Title: And He Still Loves Me?

Chapter 1: It's Easy When You are Young and Innocent
Chapter 2: Uh, Oh! Maybe He's not looking!!!
Chapter 3: Yes! He saw it all – overcoming guilt
Chapter 4: Learning to Love the Lord
Chapter 5: Leaning on Him always!!!
 
Write Verse 1 of Psalm 18:
"I love you, O Lord, my strength!"
 
When has God shielded you from imminent harm?
This doesn't always have to be a "big" thing. Think about how often you might be driving down the road and you realize you are not paying attention like you should be. I think of my little boys that decided to have a crawdad bbq a few weeks ago. They thought it would be a great idea to take a can of gas and a lighter down to the creek to cook their catches. I pray a hedge of protection over my boys daily, and this is the only explanation I can give you for why I did not make a trip to the hospital that day!!!
 
When has He been your Deliverer?
He delivered my mom and me from the hands of my birth father into a healthy relationship!!!
 

When has He been your Refuge when you felt like everyone needed more from you than you could give?

Right now!!! When I am feeling overwhelmed by this cancer, I have to retreat to Him immediately!!! I feel as though there are so many times that I have nothing to give because I am exhausted!!! Yet, when I really need to regain my strength, He sustains me.
 
Now tell Him that you love Him after realizing all that He has done for you!!!