King David made several big mistakes in his life. Yet he was called a man after God’s own heart and was mightily used by the Lord to lead the Israelites. What set him apart was the priority he placed on his relationship with the heavenly Father.
David delighted in knowing God and sought Him earnestly. Writing, “My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land,” he declared that God’s love was better than life. He went on to pledge that he would praise the Lord all his days (Ps. 63:1, Ps. 63:3-4).
David viewed life from a God-centered perspective. In his writings, he marveled at the Lord’s creative power in the world, relied on Him for protection and strength, and proclaimed allegiance. He also prayed fervently and frequently, lifting requests in the morning and expectantly awaiting a response (Ps. 5:3). At night he’d continue communing with God (Ps. 63:6).
Both actions—praying and meditating on God’s character—fueled his trust in the Lord. His faith sustained him throughout life: when he was a shepherd boy protecting sheep from attacks by wild animals, a young man defeating the giant Goliath, and the nation’s anointed leader escaping King Saul’s murderous plans. Whatever his circumstances, he sought the Lord and gave priority to their relationship.
The psalms reveal David’s desire to know the Lord and be known by Him. He sought God’s guidance through prayer and had a heart for Him. Jesus invites us to draw near and spend time learning from Him (Matt. 11:28-29). Have you made following Christ the priority of your life
We learned yesterday that God is our protector. David’s song in Psalm 121 also portrays the Lord as our keeper.
• “He who keeps you will not slumber” (Ps. 121:3). Many young children are fearful in the dark. If they awaken when everyone else is sleeping, little ones often feel alone and scared. Adults also experience fear, but thankfully, our Caretaker needs no sleep. He is always alert and attentive to our cries, even when our feelings may tell us otherwise.
• “The Lord is your keeper … He will keep your soul” (Ps. 121:5, Ps. 121:7). When parents have to leave their children, they put a trusted person in charge. We often say that this individual is “keeping” the kids. The babysitter is expected to protect and provide for the children. How much more invested and capable is our heavenly Father! Besides preserving us physically and spiritually, He restrains us from any wrong thoughts, harmful words, and inappropriate actions. His Holy Spirit gives warnings to keep us from evil, and He also provides guidance so we’ll grow in a godly direction.
• “The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever” (Ps. 121:8). God is sovereign. He is with us always—protecting, pointing the way, and teaching. He accompanies and leads, even in the small tasks that seem insignificant.
When we grow up, many of us feel sadness and a little fear as we leave the safety of our parents’ home. But we never leave the precious love and watchful eye of our heavenly Father. God is our keeper, and He cares for us better than any earthly mom or dad ever could.
In Psalm 121, David describes the safety that he found in the Lord. Over the next two days, let’s look closely at several verses to better understand our security.
• “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Ps. 121:1-2). When this was written, robbers dwelled in the mountains, waiting for innocent travelers to become their unsuspecting victims. Needless to say, journeying through these hilly roads must have caused anxiety. David’s work as a shepherd took him into dangerous areas, where not only thieves but also wild animals posed a threat.
Our lives can be like mountainous territory. Do you look into the future and wonder what dangers lurk? The Lord is our helper; He is the only one able to protect us. Friends and relatives can offer limited assistance, but God knows everything and has all the power necessary to rescue us.
• “He will not allow your foot to slip” (Ps. 121:3). God has provided everything we need in order to avoid sin. The Holy Spirit directs and empowers us; the Word lights our path so we do not slip. Yet at times, we choose to sin. Almighty God could stop us from disobeying, but He doesn’t interfere with our free will. Instead, He upholds us, enabling us to walk in His way.
These opening verses of the psalm focus on the Lord’s ability to protect us in treacherous times. Whether trouble originates with others, external circumstances, or our own sin, we can find ourselves in danger and afraid. Thankfully, we have a loving God who leads us to safety.
We like to think that our delay tactics are no big deal. After all, we tell ourselves, no one is really getting hurt by the things we put off. Over time, however, our choices to postpone action can develop into a lifelong pattern of procrastination. In today’s reading, the ruler Felix delayed making a decision about Christ and eventually turned away completely.
To get on track, we must change our attitude about procrastination, admitting it is a serious problem and noticing where we consistently put off action. It’s important to identify any feelings of doubt and discomfort that we may have, confess that procrastination has a hold in our life, and then decide in our heart to turn away from it. Tell God, “I want to live by Your schedule and please You by my obedience.”
Repentance should be joined by a commitment to actively embrace new ways of decisive living. Use God’s Word to fight against feelings of doubt and discomfort whenever they arise. Who we are in Christ and who He is to us are the truths needed to overcome bad habits. The Bible says that we are new creations, indwelt by God’s Holy Spirit, and we are no longer slaves to sin (Gal. 5:1). Jesus, our Savior, is also our Lord. He provides all we need through His resurrection power (2 Pet. 1:3), and His grace turns our weakness into strength (2 Cor. 12:9). Victory is ours through Him (Rom. 8:37).
When we order our life on the basis of Scripture, we will live by faith rather than feelings. Jesus offers to set us free from the bondage of procrastination. Don’t put off accepting His invitation!
God has prepared work He wants us to do, and our delays in carrying out His plan constitute disobedience. That makes habitual procrastination a serious problem.
Praying, tithing, and daily Bible reading aren’t the only things Christians can put off. We can also delay:
Serving in the church. We volunteer to serve, but when the call comes, we say no. If asked, we might reply it is the length of the commitment that doesn’t suit us. At other times we say the position itself is not a good fit. In both cases, if we examine our feelings, we will find we are dodging what we do not like or feel inadequate to do.
Sharing our faith. We can get very anxious about how to express ourselves, what reaction we’ll get, and whether we’ll be able to give adequate answers. When insecurity threatens us, we often choose inactivity over obedience.
Surrendering our will to the Lord’s. Just thinking about giving God control in certain areas makes many of us feel fearful. So we cling to our way and avoid His. True submission says, “Lord, I am willing to do whatever You want in this situation. I will obey Your Word.”
After a while, because of our procrastinating ways, our spiritual growth is inhibited. Then our usefulness to God and our sense of joy in Him diminish.
The Lord has asked us to be His ambassadors, who represent Him to a hurting world according to His plan and timetable (2 Cor. 5:20). Therefore, procrastination has no place in the life of a believer. Which areas of your life does this bring to mind?
