Relying on God

Scripture:
Psalm 44: 6-8 — “For I will not trust in my bow, nor will my sword save me. But You have saved us from our adversaries, And You have put to shame those who hate us. In God we have boasted all day long, and we will give thanks to Your name forever.”

Observation:
In these verses, the author of the psalm is sharing that he has hope and confidence that God will save them. Earlier on in the chapter he compares himself to his ancestors who also did not obtain the promise land by their own strength or skill. He lays the foundation that it is not about his personal strength or possessions but about his trust in God. Verse 6 is followed up with him remembering times when God had protected them from their adversaries and enemies. Then he confidently states that, “in God we have boasted all day long”. To me this is the best part of the verses. He is not boasting as we think of. Here boasting refers to “praise.” So he is praising God all day long and is completely reliant on Him. It is not a temporary or momentary thing. It is a constant or habitual form of praise and reliance on God.

Application:
It is easy to get caught up discovering what our strengths and weaknesses are. I know I love personality and spiritual gifts tests. And it is always an eye opening experience when I learn more about my strengths and weaknesses. Yet I often wonder if I spend so much time focusing on my strengths and weaknesses that I forget the importance of actually relying on God. I become self-reliant on the gifts God has given me rather than reliant on Him and allowing Him to use those gifts. I believe this is what the writer of this psalm was referring to when he emphasized not depending on his own bow or sword. In those days, it seems like everyone carried a sword or bow as a mean of protection and survival. But God did not need their swords and weapons to fulfill His purpose. Just like God does not need my gifts and talents to accomplish His will. He enjoys me using them to bring Him glory and honor, but He does not need me. Yet the exciting thing is He wants me to be a part of His work. He wants to watch over and protect me. He wants me to be reliant on Him. And He wants me to praise Him all day long!
 
Prayer:
God, allow me to be completely and solely dependant on Your strength and not my own. Continue to remind me that my strengths come from You and are not something I have accomplished with my own abilities. Cultivate humility in my life as You did in the life of the author of this psalm. Thank You for wanting me to be a part of Your great work.  

— Emily Suggs, children’s minister, Madison/Ridgeland campus