TITLE: ALWAYS ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS IN YOUR LIFE

TITLE: ALWAYS ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS IN YOUR LIFE

SCRIPTURE:

“Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.  2 He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold, and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.  3 Lord, what are human beings that you care for them, mere mortals that you think of them? 4 They are like a breath; their days are like a fleeting shadow.    (Psalms 144:1–4 NIV)

OBSERVATION:

            David’s psalms of praise to his Lord, his Rock, who trains his hands for war and fingers for battles, tells me that David makes a habit of acknowledging God in every battle of his life.  David is battle-tested and has seen some close calls on his life.  David reminds me that no matter what we battle through in life or whatever I am facing that seems daunting and challenging, I must not succumb to its power but know that I have been trained and prepared for that battle by God.

            I find encouragement as David gives his reason for praise and why he acknowledged God:

• God is his trainer for war and battles
• God loves him
• God is his fortress
• God is his stronghold
• God is his deliverer
• God is his shield
• God subdues people under him

This picture of who God is amazed David, and he asked, Lord, what human beings you care for, mere mortals that you think of them? They are like a breath; their days are like a fleeting shadow.  Part your heavens, Lord, and come down; touch the mountains so they smoke. 

Who are we human beings and mere mortals that God would be thinking of us, training us for battles and wars?  Who are we that God would love us, be a fortress, a stronghold, a deliverer, a shield and would win our battles for us? 

I must admit that it is hard to know that God is for me when wars and battles rage in my life. I somehow know this in my head, but I often forget it when I am struggling with life’s challenges. This is such a refreshing reminder to acknowledge God in my daily life, whether life is going well or not. 

I gained a fresh sense of how intimate God’s presence is always with me.  So many times, I take pride in my achievements and my well-thought-out plans.  There are times when I want to focus on being on myself.  Pride is subtle.  Pride blinds me to see that it wasn’t because of how well my plans are but because faithful God has been working in and through me.

I remember my mentor, Uncle Dan Shima, asking me this question before: “Do you think what you planned is good?”  Then he said something authentic to me, Talo, you are not that good.”  It made me think a lot and realize he was right.  He was not trying to discourage me but to make me think.  As a leader, without God, all my plans are in vain.  Without God, I’ll be a victim of my battles and not a victor.  Then he said this: ALWAYS give glory to where glory is due.  Do not hoard the credit that is God’s. 

APPLICATION:

In all that I do I will continue to give credit and glory to the wisdom of God who trained me, loves me, who is my fortress, stronghold, deliverer, shield and who subdues my enemies under my feet.  I will do this daily to acknowledge who He is in my life.  He is my loving Father. 

PRAYER:

            Heavenly Father, I am grateful and am reminded again of how you have been always with me.  Who am I that you would train me, love me, shielded me, delivered me and fight my battles for me.  I am beyond gratefulness and I want to praise you for who you are in my life.  Amen!