Morning Devotions with Chaplain Kenny "A Time to Listen, a Time to Talk"

A Time to Listen, a Time to Talk

Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.

~ Psalm 3:1-3 (NIV)

Psalm 3 is a psalm of David, and one of its purposes is to teach us how to give voice to our tribulations. In the first two verses, he is — probably very realisitically — dealing with all of the enemies he had in his life. He was at war with almost everyone, at some point! But when we see how he handled all of his problems, we see that we can be honest with God about our troubles.

Right away, in verse three, he show us that, although we may be right in the middle of our suffering, we can rely on God. His enemies, in fact, specifically say that “God will not deliver him,” but David, God's anointed and holy king, knew better! His psalm is actually testimony from 3,000 years ago; David is witnessing to us. And we know, from history, that he was right, for he succeeded where generations had failed, in uniting Israel.

This points up a subtle difference, between talking to yourself and listening to yourself. If you listen to yourself, you are going to hear all of the self-defeating and sinful ideas that come from your earthly mind. But we are not passive victims of our psyche. We learn truths from Scripture that defeat the lies that we will hear, if we only listen to our brain. Our subconscious mind can be our enemy and rise up against us, like David's foes; but God is a shield for us and will lift up our head.

I love the security I find in you, God. Like a huge shield around and above me. No one can get in a killer blow because you are around me. Your grace hems me in. To follow you, Lord, doesn't always mean I will win popularity contests. Sometimes people have had justification for their anger. Whatever people think, I can go forward because you are with me. Not only do you surround me but you answer me. Wherever I am, valley or mountaintop, I can cry to you and I know that you will speak to me. You respond no matter what or where. Lord, thank you for your sustaining power in my life. Thank you that you have delivered me and you will never abandon me. I love you God. Amen

In Jesus,
Chaplain Kenny


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Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
When we see how David handled all of his problems, we see that we can be honest with God about our troubles.