Obstacles and Opportunities Pt. 1

Last week the Lord led me to make a change to the preaching schedule that I had planned for today. I know it was the Lord’s doing because my stubborn self is not keen on replacing what has been carefully thought through for just anything. That said, with what is going on in our world with COVID-19 and the many implications thereof (including, but not limited to, how it is affecting our congregation and church), I am convinced it is incumbent on me as a pastor and shepherd to provide much-needed perspective in the midst of all the noise. I must admit to you that this perspective did not come easily or naturally to me. It was only after God literally left me awake into the wee hours of the night and patiently guided me that I was able to confront a couple of convicting and powerful realizations that I am compelled to share with you now. While many of us are quick to recognize the very real obstacle that COVID-19 is to our every day lives and the life of our church, I’m convinced that this virus and the many consequences that come with it also presents us with opportunities to grow both as individuals and as the body of Christ. This we will learn by looking at two stanzas of an instructive psalm David wrote after God had delivered him from his own threat in Psalm 34:1-7.

I. STANZA #1: A CELEBRATION OF GOD’S GLORY AND MAN’S HUMILITY-34:1-3

A little background on be drawn today. This song of praise is attributed to David and was penned after he escaped from Abimelech by feigning insanity (1 Sam. 21:11). In reflecting on how God saved him in the midst of his trial, David in this psalm calls on the congregation to praise the Lord for their salvation and in this call celebrates unchanging truths about how God is a good deliverer for those who seek and fear him.

At the beginning of this psalm David spends extended time celebrating who God is. One can hear the excitement in his voice when he says, “I will bless the Lord at all times” (24:1). Consider what “all times” included for David. At this point in his life, he is promised to be king and yet has not assumed the throne.  He is actively hunted by Saul (the existing King) and in the process of fleeing for his life. David is not yet in power nor has he yet brought Israel to its golden age. He is young man in a very precarious situation. Even in this situation (which would certainly be included in the domain of “all times”) he proceeds to “bless the Lord” (24:1a).

I admit to you as a pastor that there have been times this past week where I have not felt like blessing the Lord. All that is going on in our world to curb the spread of and deal with this virus has proven to be an annoyance, a discouragement, and a real distraction. The dangerous prospect that this virus poses to those most at risk is a real concern and the many implications –economic, social, relational, etc.—are a frustration. The campaigns, efforts, and events our church has planned for to accomplish what we believe will help grow the kingdom of God have been altered, cancelled, or put on hold. Rather than prove quick to bless the Lord, I’ve been guilty of questioning what he could possibly be up to and grumbling that I don’t have better answers and complaining that I can’t move forward with what I want to do or what I think is best. In moments of weakness, I haven’t been a man after God’s own heart. I haven’t blessed the Lord AT ALL TIMES like David is said to do here.

This idea of perpetually blessing the Lord regardless of circumstance is repeated in the next phrase—“His praise shall continually be in my mouth” (24:1b). In this familiar synonymous parallel structure found in the Psalms, the second phrase repeats the major sentiments of the first in a slightly different but altogether similar way—“I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth,…” (24:1b). The addition of the mouth here draws the readers attention to David’s words. Blessing/praising the Lord for David wasn’t just something that he did inside the privacy of his own mind, it was there for all to hear as it included what he said. If it is out of the mouth the heart speaks (Luke 6:45), then David’s speech revealed that his heart belonged to and loved the Lord God.

What I’ve heard from myself and from those around me over the last week has been all kinds of things—anxiety, confusion, despair, anger, selfishness, etc. Oh that I and the church would take a cue from David’s life and interject the societal discussion and the noise around us with the praise of almighty God. This we should always do, but especially now when such is so needed. Let’s demonstrate what we claim to be true in our hearts by the praise of our Lord that continually pours forth from our mouths.

David doesn’t stop with praise; he brags—“My soul will make its boast in the Lord” (24:2). Notice in whom David’s confidence lies—“in the Lord.” He doesn’t brag about his acumen or cleverness in escaping the efforts of Abimelech and Saul to capture him. He doesn’t brag about his calling/anointing to one day be king. David’s confidence is ultimately in the Lord.

People choose to place their confidence in any number of things this world has to offer. Some place their confidence in their assets. Others place it on their job. Others on their self-sufficiency. Have you checked the stock market lately? Have you seen who isn’t allowed to go to work or noticed those who have lost their income stream due to the measures being taken? Have you seen the grocery stores unable to keep up with peoples’ demands. What we have here, if we are willing to notice it, is a clarifying moment. No longer are people able to boast in their portfolio, vocation, or stockpile of toilet paper. The world around us is running out of things to boast in and, as David says next, “the humble will hear it and rejoice” (24:2b). 

Those who realize that they cannot take care of themselves, or rely on what they can do, or depend on how much they have, recognize their humility and God’s great glory and they rejoice. This is what David does here. Though David had a lot going for him—his anointing, his victories, his prospects, etc.—his being hunted by Saul probably had a way of keeping him humble. However, in this humble state, David finds joy.

There is so much that is keeping us humble today that we ought to welcome. Not being able to do what we have planned, not being able to go where we want, not being able to serve the way we want to serve, not being able to see what we want to see, etc. Personally, I’m humbled by the fact that much of what we’ve planned going forward as a church in the spirit of creating opportunities for outreach, inspiring meaningful fellowship, cultivating deep discipleship, has been placed on hold. I have had to, as a pastor, husband, and father, come face-to-face with Proverbs 16:9—"In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.” I’ve had to confess my humility before the Lord and submit to his superior plan. In this there is joy.

The combination of praise and boasting in the Lord leads David to invite the reader to join him in magnifying the Lord—“O magnify the Lord with me” (24:3). As the lines of this stanza naturally/logically build on each other, readers must realize they cannot accept David’s invitation in verse 3 unless or until they are already praising the Lord with their mouths according to verse 1 and placing their confidence in him according to verse 2.

David desires that people join him in exalting the Lord—“And let us exalt his name together” (24:3b). This open invitation echoes to this day. However, again, the people of God cannot succeed in exalting and magnifying the Lord’s name if they are not actively engaged in praising him in all things and placing their confidence in him.

In the midst of all that our world, our country, our community is facing, may it be the church from which the sound of hope and truth is heard as it magnifies and exalts a great and mighty God! This is only possible if we recognize our humility before him and allow his praises to be ever-present on our lips.

II. STANZA #2: A CALL TO SEEK THE LORD IN ANTICIPATION OF HIS ANSWER-34:4-7

This leads us successfully to the second stanza of David’s song—a call to seek the Lord in anticipation of his answer in 34:4-7. This stanza begins with a testimony of sorts—“I sought the Lord, and He answered me,…” (24:4a).

If you are like me and a lot of other people, you are action-oriented and look for what it is that you can do in any particular situation to bring about an intended goal or accomplish a particular mission. For me this is true not just in personal goals, but in the mission of God of going and making disciples and leading a church to that end. I’m always looking for something to DO. When we cannot do what we think we need to do or what is expected or what is routine or what is planned, seeking the Lord might seem like a shallow consolation prize with very little going for it. However, for David, it was the key to an answer for his prayer and, as verse 4 continues, the reason for his deliverance.

“And delivered me from all my fears” (24:4b). “Deliver” is the same word for “save” in the language of the Old Testament. By seeking the Lord fervently and consistently, David was saved from his enemies and enjoyed deliverance from their wickedness. In his situation, he realized that only the Lord could come through for him and bring him out of his dire situation. And the wise among us realize the same today.

We cannot forget that our salvation for eternity and for this day is not something that we bring about but something that God graciously provides. We also cannot forget that our ability to do for God and his mission is not something that we accomplish in and of ourselves—it too is wrought of the Lord. If this virus, social distancing, and the cancellation of what we believe is important can teach us anything, may it be that seeking the Lord is itself a worthy and powerful enterprise. May the extra time that we have on our hands remind us of the value there is in knowing God and growing in that knowledge both as individuals and as a believing community. Perhaps being shut-out and shut-down from the rest of the world is not as much an obstacle, but an opportunity to be reacquainted with the One who has always been in control and can do more by himself that we ever could in our own power.

David describes those who really get this in two different ways. First, he says, “they looked to him and were radiant, and their faces will never be ashamed” (24:5). Those who realize that God is ultimately in control and salvation is ultimately not up to them are not frustrated when they fail or despairing when unexpected obstacles come their way. Instead, they take heart that God is still in command and new opportunities are being paved that are in keeping with his sovereign will. You’d live your life and I’d live mine with a glow about us too if we realized that, especially in these difficult times in which we live.

The next analogy David uses is of a poor man—“this poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles” (24:6). David paints himself as a poor man crying out to the Lord—desperately dependent on someone else for survival. This once again highlights his humility before God. In Matthew 5 Jesus will say, “blessed are the poor in spirit for there is the kingdom of God” (Matt. 5:3). The implication of Psalm 34 and Matthew 5 is that those who are poor in their own estimation recognize their need for God, cry out to God, and are saved by God.

Crying out to the Lord can look like many things, but most commonly it involves prayer. “You can do more than pray after you have prayed; but you can never do more than pray until you have prayed” (A.J. Gordon). “The greatest thing anyone can do for God or man is pray" (S.D. Gordon). Here again, God may be affording his people an opportunity and blessing in the midst of this plague—time to seek the Lord in ways we haven’t in a long time, and time to pray in ways we may never have before. Both practices assume that God is still moving even when we are unable and still doing even when we are forbidden to act. “Prayer strikes the winning blow; service is simply picking up the pieces” (S.D. Gordon). Looking for something to fill your days of quarantine with? PRAY. Pray for your friends, your family, your community as they face this unseen threat. Pray for the healthcare workers and first responders in the line of fire. Pray for your pastor and your church. Pray that despite the measures taken, the efforts being made in your congregation to grow and share the gospel are not thwarted. Pray that those in need are provided for. Pray that the church has all it requires to help its flock and spread the gospel truth. Pray that you are a blessing, a voice of reason, and a real encouragement to those around you. “Prayer is the first thing, the second thing, the third thing necessary to a minister. Pray, then my dear brother; pray, pray, pray." Edward Payson.

At the end of David’s second stanza, he makes a two-fold promise. First, he promises the Lord’s protection—“the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him” (24:7a). What an encouragement it must have been for David to know as he was hiding out in caves and in the wilderness from those pursuing him, that the Lord was keeping watch over his life by means of his angel.

What an encouragement this ought to be for you and me—that as we are held up away from others, God has not left us alone and is surrounding those who fear him with his protective presence!

More than merely his protective presence, God also “rescues them” according to David (34:7b). The same deliverance David was said to enjoy in verse 4 is available to all who seek, cry out to, and fear the Lord!

So What?

What do you need rescuing from today? Loneliness, boredom, discouragement, confusion, chaos? What existential, spiritual, relational, physical threat is in hot pursuit of your life today? While many, if not all, are under the threat of this virus and its many implications, perhaps the deluge of data and information being pumped through your television or smart phone has also created an awareness of other misgivings, issues, or problems needing attention. No matter what you may be made to go through or what our church may be made to go through, let’s learn David’s song and magnify the Lord in all circumstances because he is worthy of such regardless of how we feel. Let’s confess our dependency on him and submit to his superior plan when our plans fail. And lets treat what this world knows as an obstacle as an opportunity to spend purposeful time seeking the Lord and crying out to him in new and fresh ways, trusting that he can do more himself than what we can accomplish if we had things our way.