When You Are Driven to a Cave

It is said that Psalm 57 was a song of David while he was hiding in the cave from Saul who was pursuing David.  If you know the story, you know that Saul was jealous of David.  It was a jealousy that arose after David killed Goliath and Saul overheard the nation of Israel singing songs that acknowledged David’s exploits by singing that while Saul had killed his thousands, David killed his ten thousand.  That certainly did not go over well for Saul who was the king.  When you understand the story of Saul, then you begin to understand a man who was full of pride.  He wanted to rid his life of David.  After all, David was a threat to his throne.  Yet, despite David’s constant hiding and living a life on the run, he remained faithful to God.  A few days ago, I pose this question to the church “Do you trust God?  Or do you say you trust God?”  For you see, there is a difference.  Things are easier said than done.  It is easy to trust God when life is a cakewalk and we are walking on cloud nine.  But what if the bottom falls out?  Will that trust still exist?  Twice in Psalm 57, David says “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!”  Even in the cave David trusted that God was still in control and would take care of the matter.  Even in the cave, David acknowledge God’s love was everlasting and evermore.  Even in the cave, David vowed to give God thanksgiving and to testify of His goodness by praising God among the nations.  Yes, even in the darkness of the cave, comfort is possible.  But how?  I think verse 7 is the key.  I actually like the King James rendering of this verse that translates this verse as “My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise” (Psalm 57:7).  Fixing our eyes on God instead of our circumstance goes a long way to our response and reactions in the midst of the cave.  In the New Testament, Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and focused on the storm and began to sink.  The Apostle Paul was beaten, bloodied, and bruised and cast into prison but yet managed to sing praises to God in the midnight hour by being fixed on God.  Even in the midst of our own caves when driven there by situations beyond our control, praising and exalting God is possible….By being fixed on Him.

 _________________

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,

 But His smile quickly drives it away;

 Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,

 Can abide while we trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

 To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

 ________________

A friend was in front of me coming out of church one day, and the preacher was standing at the door as he always is to shake hands. He grabbed my friend by the hand and pulled him aside.

      The Pastor said to him, "You need to join the Army of the Lord!"

       My friend replied, "I'm already in the Army of the Lord, Pastor." Pastor questioned, "How come I don't see you except at Christmas and Easter?"

      He whispered back, "I'm in the secret service."