Why Does God Care?
Opening Prayer
Lord, whenever I feel lack and want, You are enough and I trust in You.
Read PSALM 144:1-15
[1]Of David. 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. [5] Part your heavens, LORD, and come down; touch the mountains, so that they smoke. [6] Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy; shoot your arrows and rout them. [7] Reach down your hand from on high; deliver me and rescue me from the mighty waters, from the hands of foreigners [8] whose mouths are full of lies, whose right hands are deceitful. [9] I will sing a new song to you, my God; on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you, [10] to the One who gives victory to kings, who delivers his servant David. From the deadly sword [11] deliver me; rescue me from the hands of foreigners whose mouths are full of lies, whose right hands are deceitful. [12] Then our sons in their youth will be like well-nurtured plants, and our daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace. [13] Our barns will be filled with every kind of provision. Our sheep will increase by thousands, by tens of thousands in our fields; [14] our oxen will draw heavy loads. There will be no breaching of walls, no going into captivity, no cry of distress in our streets. [15] Blessed is the people of whom this is true; blessed is the people whose God is the LORD. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Where does the Psalmist look in time of trouble?When troubles come, we humans often wonder, God, do you care? The psalmist, while confident of God’s protection (1,2) and pleading for God’s intervention (5-8), poses quite a different question: God, why do you care? What possible claim can puny, sinful humans have upon the powerful, sovereign Lord? Yet the psalmist entreats and expects God’s provision, protection and powerful intervention.In Old Testament times, a “suzerain” (overlord) would enter into treaty with “vassals” (subject peoples). If these vassals remained faithful, then, when facing threats from local enemies, they could appeal to the suzerain to come to their rescue. When God delivered his people Israel from Egypt (Exod. 20:2), his covenant with them took the form of a suzerain-vassal treaty. Why does David declare, “Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord” (15b)? Because, as God’s (vassal) people, they were entitled to appeal to God for protection. It was not because of any inherent greatness or goodness that Israel was precious to God (Deut. 7:6,7). It’s not because we are worthy that God loves us; rather, because God loves us, you and I have tremendous significance and value in God’s eyes.
Apply
God loves you–not because of who you are but despite who you are. Reach out to someone who needs God’s love.
Closing prayer
Thank You, Lord, that You never forget me, that You never take Your eyes from me.
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