THE BATTLEFIELD IN LIFE: WHERE IS IT COMING FROM TODAY?

March 23, 2017

THE BATTLEFIELD IN LIFE: WHERE IS IT COMING FROM TODAY?

Psalm 57

Meg Whittaker

Central Truth

The suffering and trials we face in life are real, and they're painful. We can be consumed by the enemy, who tries to find our weakest places. But if we seek refuge in the Lord, He will never fail us. His faithfulness and love for us cannot be measured.

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
till the storms of destruction pass by.
I cry out to God Most High,
to God who fulfills his purpose for me.
He will send from heaven and save me;
he will put to shame him who tramples on me.
God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!
(Psalm 57:1-3)

Let Your Glory Be over All the Earth

To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam^{1

57:1
Probably a musical or liturgical term} of David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave.

1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
    for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
    till the storms of destruction pass by.
2 I cry out to God Most High,
    to God who fulfills his purpose for me.
3 He will send from heaven and save me;
    he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah
God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!

4 My soul is in the midst of lions;
I lie down amid fiery beasts—
the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!

6 They set a net for my steps;
    my soul was bowed down.
They dug a pit in my way,
    but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah
7 My heart is steadfast, O God,
    my heart is steadfast!
I will sing and make melody!
8     Awake, my glory!^{2

57:8
Or my whole being}
Awake, O harp and lyre!
    I will awake the dawn!
9 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
    I will sing praises to you among the nations.
10 For your steadfast love is great to the heavens,
    your faithfulness to the clouds.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!

Footnotes

[1] 57:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
[2] 57:8 Or my whole being

If you’re like me, there are times in life when everything feels out of control. Health, career, family, relationships—they all feel under attack. The enemy is ready and willing to find any area of our lives and take root. Recently, I had many (okay, maybe all) areas of my life become unglued. First came the stress. Hospitalization followed, then tests, and medical bills that piled up from said stress and medical history. Next to come along was major conflict with coworkers and unforeseen issues in my career.

I thought I'd reached the end of my rope.

I have both the head and heart knowledge I need to be able to carry my burdens to the Lord, but I was lost in the darkness that had settled over many areas of my life. "I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me." (Psalm 57:2, NLT)

The Lord has given me trials in my life that have shown me His unfailing love and the purpose He has given me. Truly, the most difficult times in my life have revealed more about how to be a faithful follower, believer, and servant than any normal or easy season I've faced; but that comforting knowledge came after I reached the end of my rope and cried out, "weary from distress" (Psalm 57:6a, NLT).

This passage shows us that there WILL be trials and enemies that seek to destroy or deter us on our mission. But don't lose hope, for there is one place we can seek protection—"beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by." (Psalm 57:1b, NLT) In those dark moments, the enemy settles in and attacks us from all sides. It is coming, so let us arm ourselves now by learning to confidently cry out when the war is on. Let us be like David, "confident in you, O God." (Psalm 57:7, NLT)

We aren't meant to have control. Cry out to God, because there is nothing the Lord wouldn't do for His people whom He loves immeasurably.

1. Do you feel attacked in any area of your life? Journal about this and think of how you can confidently cry out to the Lord.

2. What events/times/seasons can you look back on and see how the Lord intervened in a battle you were engaged in? Did you fight on your own, or did you give that to the Lord and seek refuge under His wing of protection? How did that end? Would you change anything?

3. Knowing that there will be people and events that the enemy places in our lives, how can you be proactive on the battlefield? (Think of your habits. Do you tend to isolate? Do you seek wisdom from others? Do you hang on to pride and fight?) Discuss with your group and become more aware of how you can approach these times with truth and confidence.