Reflections
Psalm 54: 3-4, 5, 6, 8 (Read)
"O God, by your name save me."
"O God, by your name save me."
The psalm is a prayer sung by David at a time when
he was being hunted by King Saul. David was in
great peril, threatened by the “ruthless.” He says,
“The ruthless seek my life; they set not God before
their eyes.”
I may not be threatened by King Saul and his troops,
but I am surely under threat by satan and his band
of fallen angels. And where does the threat come from?
Is it from outside? Or is it from within?
For all my proclamations of trust in God, I can sense
the wavering inside of me which besets us all.
Just as David turns to the Lord for protection, so too
should I pray to the Lord to save me. David prays,
”O God, by your name save me.” For me that name
is the name of Jesus. Where else would I turn for a
shield in time of battle? Or a sword in time of peril?
With Christ present as my helper, I can turn back the
evil which lurks within my heart.
David writes about the 'haughty men' who have risen
against him. Am I one of them? Am I one of those
described in this Sunday's first reading who resent
the just one? (Wisdom 2:12) Am I part of the crowd
who condemn Jesus to a shameful death to test if He
is truly the son of God?
Are jealousy and selfish ambition lurking within me,
causing disorder and every foul practice, as St James
warns us in Sunday's second reading? (James 3:16)
Am I like the disciples on that journey with Jesus through
Galilee who were arguing about who is the greatest?
If so, then I too had better call upon the name above all
names to save me, as David does. I had better pray that
I will approach God in proper humility and pray that I shall
'undertake to become the last of all and the servant
of all.' (Gospel, Mark 9:35)
“God is my helper; the Lord sustains my life.”
I had better receive Him;
I had better gain His peace to quiet the battle within.
I had better keep my eyes fixed on the Cross;
I had better be open to rescue and redemption.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist is fighting against forces that threaten him; he says,
"The ruthless seek my life." Are you aware of powerful forces, external
or internal, that put your faith in jeopardy? Explain.
2. The Psalm says, "The Lord upholds my life." Speak of how your life
is sustained by the Lord when you are under threat physically or spiritually.
Popular TV evangelist Joyce Meyers has a best-selling book titled, “Battlefield of the Mind.” Sarah Young’s powerful devotional, “Jesus Calling,” describes that, “There is a mighty battle going on for control of your mind...” The concept that my mind serves as the battle ground between good and evil, heaven and earth, light and darkness, worship and worry — is frightening. And yet there it is, since Adam and Eve were tempted in the garden of Eden.
ReplyDeleteThe enemy studies us and knows just how to pounce when we are weak. He also knows that if our thought life is weighed down and clouded, then we are blocked from awareness of the Lord’s presence. In a way, then, the enemy is both without and within. And any of us is capable of being one of the worldly wise, accusing a just man (Jesus) and finding him “obnoxious” as we see in the first reading.
As the Psalmist writes, “Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.” (v.4 or v.6, depending on translation) We have nothing to fear, whether the attacks are external or internal. 1 John 4:4 promises that, “...the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” In other words, we are already on the winning side. Those who believe in the powerful Name of Jesus have His authority to cast out evil tendencies, judgments, feelings, or thoughts.
Additionally, our prayer can be 2 Corinthians 10:5 — “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it to obedient to Christ.”
We take captive all thoughts that are contrary to Christ’s truth! I get excited when the Bible, God’s own living, breathing Word, tells me exactly how to fight and emerge the victor in any battle.
In a nutshell, my survival tactic is to dive into His Word. There, I always find the weapons I need to guard my faith and keep myself on the path of Godly wisdom.
I feel my constant worrying and struggles with a negative attitude are what puts me under threat spiritually. By being enveloped in my worries I am being pulled away as opposed to turning to God. I tend to look for things to worry about, my glass is always half empty. It has caused arguments and frustrations among family members.
ReplyDeleteThrough reading scripture passages like Philippians 4:6-7, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus," I am able to see and hear that God is wanting me to trust my worries to Him. It is at those times that I am at ease and at peace, knowing that He is taking control and everything will be alright.
I am reminded, that I need Our Lord, I need to trust Him and praise Him always. I should not only be calling upon Him in tough times, but always, everyday, thanking Him and praising Him.