COUNTING YOUR STEPS
Opening Prayer
Take time now to praise God that he has been with you every step of the way and promises never to leave you.
Read 2 Samuel 22:31–51
31 “As for God, his way is perfect:
The Lord’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
32 For who is God besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock except our God?
33 It is God who arms me with strength
and keeps my way secure.
34 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he causes me to stand on the heights.
35 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
36 You make your saving help my shield;
your help has made me great.
37 You provide a broad path for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way.
38 “I pursued my enemies and crushed them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
39 I crushed them completely, and they could not rise;
they fell beneath my feet.
40 You armed me with strength for battle;
you humbled my adversaries before me.
41 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
and I destroyed my foes.
42 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—
to the Lord, but he did not answer.
43 I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth;
I pounded and trampled them like mud in the streets.
44 “You have delivered me from the attacks of the peoples;
you have preserved me as the head of nations.
People I did not know now serve me,
45 foreigners cower before me;
as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
46 They all lose heart;
they come trembling from their strongholds.
47 “The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be my God, the Rock, my Savior!
48 He is the God who avenges me,
who puts the nations under me,
49 who sets me free from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
from a violent man you rescued me.
50 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing the praises of your name.
51 “He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever.”
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Recall how God has been with you over the past month.Are you somebody who counts your steps each day? We are encouraged to walk 10,000 steps a day, and many people own a device to track their progress. In this passage David is tracking his steps in relation to God.
God is the Rock of his life, and David sees how God has been with him every step of the way. He uses the body to illustrate this in verses 31–37: feet to stand on the heights (34), hands for the battle (35,36), ankles as he follows the good path (37). As David retraces his steps he sees how God has been with him in all the battles (38–46), and that it was God who gave the victory (44). Pause again to retrace your steps—how has God been at work in your life these past months or years?
David gives thanks and praise to the Rock and Savior of his life. We too must give glory and praise to God for his work in our lives in the past. But give thanks that God will also be at work in your future—all through Jesus the true Rock. Jesus is the cornerstone on whom we are to build our lives (Eph. 2:20). He is the worthy Savior and King who is with us now and forevermore.
Apply
Be aware of how many steps you take today. At certain mile-markers (e.g., 100 steps) throughout your day, stop and thank God for walking with you.
Closing prayer
Pray through verses 31–37 as a praise to God. Make the words your own.
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