Daily Bread:  Thoughts & Prayers from the Psalms

~ Psalm 28 ~

Reliance.
It’s a word that is somewhat disdained these days.  We are taught to be self reliant.  Self sufficient.  Dependent on, or in need of no one.  Yet is that what God’s word really teaches?  Not at all actually!
Does that surprise you?

In Psalm 28, David realizes his desperate RELIANCE on the LORD!
He understands and confesses his utter need for the LORD’s mercy, His intervention, His love, His guidance,  His presence… and even for His vengeance!  Yikes!
Maybe this part of reliance isn’t too hard for us to accept.   But the Word also exhorts us to get INVOLVED!  To depend upon one another (believers) in our daily lives.  To be our brother’s keepers.  To encourage, equip, admonish, heal, help, hope with, and the list could go on and on.  There are many Scriptures that remind us that God created us to be fitted (thus dependent upon) together.  Did you know that there are over 59 “one another” verses in the Bible telling us to live life caring for …. you guessed it… ONE ANOTHER!

One of the clearest pictures of the way we were designed to be built together is in found in the book of Hebrews 10:24-25.  It says this- “and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works;  not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh.”     People have used this for years as a call for wandering Christians to come back to church services.  While this isn’t a wrong interpretation, it isn’t a full picture.  Want to know what that word “assembling” means fully?
It means being fitted together for a work.  According to Strong’s concordance, it means- a complete collection; [put together] for a purpose”.   I once read this illustration (I have no idea where, or I would love to cite it here).

Imagine a large bag full of pieces of a bicycle all clanging around in that one sack.   Technically, they are “gathered together”, but they really aren’t “assembled”.   While it’s true that in theory, you have a bicycle, in actuality, you just have a bunch of individual pieces that do not look like or bicycle and definitely cannot do the work of a bicycle.
What needs to happen?
Each one of those parts needs to be FITTED TOGETHER with the other parts to do the WORK of a bicycle!   The pedal isn’t much good without the chain.  The chain isn’t much good without the wheels.  The wheels aren’t much good without the handlebars… and on and on.  This bicycle needs to be ASSEMBLED !
Ok, so maybe this was a tangent.  Or maybe not.  🙂

Lord we DEPEND on You!
We put all our trust in YOU!
Assemble us together as a beautiful bicycle Bride, perfect when You come for us!

O LORD
We call to you
for HELP
for MERCY.

You are
our ROCK
our STRENGTH
our SHIELD

Keep us from
those who do evil,
from those who
speak peace
BUT
whose hearts
are full of
wickedness.

We will
TRUST in you
and
be HELPED.

Our hearts will
LEAP with JOY
and
we will
SING !

We will give thanks
BECAUSE
the LORD is
the strength of His People.
our fortress of
SALVATION !

SAVE your people
BLESS your inheritance
BE our Shepherd
and
CARRY us
FOREVER.

AMEN.

~Read or Listen to Psalm 28.

~Praying Psalm 29 is next!

~Praying the Psalms Table of Contents~

–Psalm 1
–Psalm 2 & 3
–Psalm 4
–Psalm 5
–Psalm 6 & 7
–Psalm 8
–Psalm 9
–Psalm 10
–Psalm 11
–Psalm 12
–Psalm 13
–Psalm 14
–Psalm 15
–Psalm 16
–Psalm 17
–Psalm 18
–Psalm 19
–Psalm 20
–Psalm 21
–Psalm 22
–Psalm 23
–Psalm 24
–Psalm 25
–Psalm 26
–Psalm 27
–Psalm 28
–Psalm 29
–Psalm 30
–Psalm 31
–Psalm 32
–Psalm 33
–Psalm 34
–Psalm 35
–Psalm 36