Recognize Him

Psalm 60

English Standard Version (ESV)

To the choirmaster: according to ^(A)Shushan Eduth. A^(B)Miktam^[a] of David; ^(C)for instruction; when he ^(D)strove with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah, and when Joab on his return struck down twelve thousand of Edom in the Valley of Salt.

60 O God, ^(E)you have rejected us, ^(F)broken our defenses;
    you have been angry; ^(G)oh, restore us.
² You have made the land to quake; you have torn it open;
    ^(H)repair its breaches, for it totters.
^3 (I)You have made your people see hard things;
    ^(J)you have given us ^(K)wine to drink that made us stagger.

⁴ You have set up ^(L)a banner for those who fear you,
    that they may flee to it ^(M)from the bow.^[b] Selah
^5 (N)That your ^(O)beloved ones may be delivered,
    give salvation by your right hand and answer us!

⁶ God has spoken ^(P)in his holiness:^[c]
    “With exultation ^(Q)I will divide up ^(R)Shechem
    and portion out the Vale of ^(S)Succoth.
^7 (T)Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;
    ^(U)Ephraim is ^(V)my helmet;
    Judah is my ^(W)scepter.
^8 (X)Moab is my washbasin;
    upon Edom I ^(Y)cast my shoe;
    over ^(Z)Philistia I shout in triumph.”^[d]

⁹ Who will bring me to the fortified city?
    ^(AA)Who will lead me to Edom?
¹⁰ Have you not ^(AB)rejected us, O God?
    You ^(AC)do not go forth, O God, with our armies.
¹¹ Oh, grant us help against the foe,
    for ^(AD)vain is the salvation of man!
¹² With God we shall ^(AE)do valiantly;
    it is he who will ^(AF)tread down our foes.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2060&version=ESV)

How often do we find ourselves in a tough situation and we blame God and then tell Him that He needs to fix it?  It is an age old problem and yet God listens and He responds.  I wonder sometimes why God puts up with that.  Yet God uses those situations to grow us.  He loves to hear us repent as Israel did in this passage and He loves for us to depend on Him.  Some people think that God is not listening but I believe He is just using planned ignoring, a parental technique to help children stop bad behaviors that they do to get attention.  Once we realize that He is not giving us the attention we want, we recognize our downfall, we come back to Him with a repentant heart.

I was recently told that I was not needed for a task.  I was hurt and disappointed that I was not considered valuable enough to help.  Yet I backed off and did nothing to assist in the situation.  Once it was discovered that I was needed, that person apologized and I forgave them and offered my assistance once again.  I think maybe that is how God operates at times. When we think that we have it under control we try to do things on our own but soon realize that it is only by the power of God that we can be successful and then we call on Him.  He gladly accepts our apology and then we want Him to jump right in and help us out.  He delights in our recognition of our dependence on Him, yet He longs for us to put our entire trust in Him.

As you seek Him today let us ponder on the times that He has forgiven us for being hardheaded and stubborn.  When we remember those times when we rejected Him and then blamed Him for our problems we can be reminded of His forgiveness and can rest assured that He has things under control.  Or maybe that is where we are today, trying to do all things on our own and forgetting that He is there as our guide and strength, the victor of the battle.  Are we truly calling on Him and seeking Him or are we trying to do it on our own?  He will sustain those who recognize Him and call upon His name through Jesus Christ our Lord

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila