Our God- Always Present, Always Intimate, Always Sovereign

“For You, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth.  Upon You I have leaned from before my birth; You are He who took me from my mother’s womb.  My praise is continually of You.”  ~Psalm 71:5-6

In these crazy days that seem constantly chaotic, we may feel we have lost control. Although the kids may be bored or arguing, the laundry may be never ending, and the dishes may be continually filling the sink, we can still have a song of praise in our heart! In his distress, David cried out to the Lord, while at the same time saying, “My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day” (v 8). How could he do this? He knew that God was not surprised by his circumstances. He knew that God had formed him in and had delivered him safely from his mother’s womb. He trusted that God had written his story just for him.

We, too, can rest in these truths. God has a purpose in your current situation; in fact, He has a purpose in EVERY situation you will ever face. He has specifically designed your circumstances according to His good intentions toward you which are born out of His steadfast love for you, His child. I love that God is personal. He is both great AND intimate. He is our avenger AND our comforter. We serve a mighty AND loving God who rejoices over us with singing. Zephaniah 3:17 says,

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty One who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will exalt over you with loud singing.”

These words of promise were spoken to the Israelites, by the prophet Zephaniah to proclaim the restoration of God’s people. Their rejection of God in the pursuit of their own desires led them into captivity. Yet, even there, God did not forsake them. He sent Zephaniah to remind them not to fear. He was going before them. He was in the midst of their circumstances – a Mighty One who would save them. He sought out His wayward children and rescued them. 

Because God’s character never changes, we can be confident that God will seek and rescue us, too. He is faithful to His own even when we are unfaithful (2Tim. 2:13). Even our most lonely and difficult circumstances are part of the story He has written for us before the beginning of time (Ps.37:23-24).

To know that Yahweh, the Sovereign God, is MY God and that He walks by my side in the midst of my circumstances, gives me great peace and abundant joy. Knowing that nothing is outside of His control, that nothing can cause Him to stop loving me – neither my own sin nor outside circumstances – comforts me and calms my fears (Rom. 8:38-39). These truths fill me with hope and put a song in my heart even when life around me feels out of control. So with the psalmist I can say, “My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day.”