Memo 1097: "Be There In A Minute"

We're searching the psalms for lessons and insight from David's life that will help us live an abundant life as Jesus' promised we would. In our search, we want to distill one main point which I'm calling a PowerPoint for Living that will help guide you to the place of power and fruitfulness God wants you to have. Last week, we looked at Psalm 73, which wasn't written by David, and looked at a third-party affirmation that spoke to his skill and integrity. This week, we go to Psalm 3, which David did compose:

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. I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side. Arise, Lord! Deliver me, my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people (Psalm 3).

Let's get started to see what we can learn that will help you be more in the flow of God's purpose.

ON THE RUN

The psalms are in the order they are for a reason. The first two psalms serve as kind of an introduction and then Psalm 3 is the start of book one (there are five books, each collection of psalms in the book with a general theme). As you read the psalm in its entirety above, it's not really complete without the heading that describes the context for the psalm: "A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom."

You can read about this story of Absalom, David's son, who wanted his father's throne so much so that he incited a rebellion beginning in 2 Samuel 15. When Absalom rebelled, David had no recourse but to flee Jerusalem with his allies because his son had the popularity and following that put David in mortal danger. In other words, David was running for his life. Yet someplace along the way, David stopped to write Psalm 3. I can picture him in his camp, perhaps in a tent, not knowing how close his enemies were. Those with him were standing outside the tent, urging David to hurry: "Our lord, we must go. Now! Scouts say Absalom's men are close. We've no time to lose."

However, David replied to their pleas, "Be there in a minute. I just want to finish up this entry in my journal." When you look at Psalm 3, it wasn't written in the past tense. It doesn't say "how many were my foes. Many rose against me." David didn't write this years later as a memoir; he wrote it as it was happening. And what was his disposition while he was facing this latest threat to his life and throne? "I lie down to sleep. I wake again. The Lord sustains me." All present tense. All written under duress. All composed while his life was in danger.

AND NOW YOU

You say you can't be creative or fulfill your purpose right now because you're under so much pressure. You promise to do what's in your heart "one day," once the kids are finished with college, or your arthritis settles down, or the mortgage is paid, or the world isn't such a crazy place. You claim to be waiting on the Lord, and it seems like God just won't get your enemies off your back so you have enough time and energy to do His will.

Yet David was writing while he was literally surrounded by his enemies. He seemed to be sleeping well. He prayed that God would fight his enemies, and he wrote poetry and psalms because he couldn't control what his enemies were doing. He could only control what he was doing. And he decided to write poetry, while his armed guards paced nervously outside his tent and his scouts sent word that the enemy was fast approaching.

What excuses do you rely on that soothe your conscience because you've talked yourself into fear and out of faith? What circumstances surround your tent that you're convinced are limiting and preventing you from doing much except go to church—and even that can be a chore? What have you been putting off doing, telling the Lord, "I'll be there in a minute" while you hide in the tent with no intention of coming out any time soon?

To summarize, this week's PowerPoint for Living is

People who lead an abundant life don't make excuses. You must learn how to bear fruit and rule  through your purpose in the midst of your enemies and other distractions, not waiting until the conditions are perfect or more favorable.

It's time to do what David did and put your trust in God to keep your enemies at bay while you carry out His will. As you do, you'll be like David who held his head high, slept well, and wrote his songs and poetry come hell or high water, and the water got pretty high and hell got pretty close. Have a blessed week!