Psalm 61
“Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth, I call to you
when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy. Let me dwell in your tent forever! Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings! Selah
For you, O God, have heard my vows; you have given me the heritage
of those who fear your name. Prolong the life of the
king; may his years endure to all generations! May
he be enthroned forever before God; appoint steadfast love and
faithfulness to watch over him! So, will I ever sing
praises to your name, as I perform my vows day after day.”
I have this philosophy that verse one
is familiar to the believer as well as the non-believer when disaster comes
into our life. Often both groups blame God for the death of a loved one,
the loss of a marriage, or even a failed business venture.
One who is daily basking in worship
and praise will have the attitude of a lady Jan, that I met while working as
volunteers with Samaritan’s Purse. She was sitting in a plastic chair in
her front yard, her home had been flooded, and most of what she owned was
lost. My heart went out to Mrs. Burleson, and after a lady I had sent out
to pray with her and share what had to happened to her home, came back and
shared her story; I wanted to do so much more.
As we got ready to leave that
afternoon, I gave her a business card and told her we would be back the next
day to finish up and if she needed anything to call me. What she said has
never left me. Her word, Bob, my Father has been faithful to me for 78
years, and I am going to trust in Him. I reminded her that her Father and
mine had sent Samaritan’s Purse and those men across the street a Baptist men’s
group doing the same thing we were doing, and we would be back. As we
drove home that night, I knew God's desire was for Jan and me to restore her
home. God is so faithful, I could not do the job by myself, but God, as I
shared the story with my adult class, sent men with the resources to do so, and
God let us be part of His plan. God supplied materials and the appliances that
were needed, not used stuff, but new, out of the box, and we got to be part of
it.
Yes, both David and you and I have so
much good going an often we forget to praise the Father, to understand His love
and patience with us, and it is a fact, trouble, and disaster will happen to
all people, but many will not have the heart of a David or Mrs. Burleson.
We often read over verses we should ponder on, such as 2 Samuel 7:14-15, it is
referring to Solomon who would replace David who replaced King Saul. Give
thought to these words: “I will be to him a
father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will
discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my
steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from
Saul, whom I put away from before you.”
My prayer is that Mrs. Burleson's
story and David’s are also your accounts, if not it can be, so begin today by asking
the Father to give you that kind of heart.
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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