January 14, 2025 Devo

Have you ever felt powerless? Powerless to defend yourself or powerless to do anything about your situation? Or how about powerless to defend God? Maybe you’ve had someone at work attacking your faith. Or perhaps a close family member who has spiritual questions you can’t answer or is angry with God and you don’t know what to do. It could be you’re feeling powerless about someone you care about. You’re concerned about a health issue with your spouse, a financial situation with your kids, or fear about some decisions someone you love is making. When you have no power on your own to change any of this, what do you do? You cry out to God; that’s what you do!
Our passage today is a prayer of David, hoping to spur God into action. First of all, David pleads for God to rescue him. Remember, this psalm is about David fleeing from his son Absalom who is taking over the throne. David fears for his life. He’s unsure about what to do, where to go, or how to respond to this horrible betrayal. Sometimes all you can do is throw yourself upon the mercy and protection of God. And that’s exactly what David does.
But notice that David also wants God to protect Himself. David was king by the Lord’s anointing. So the attack on the throne was not just an attack upon David; it was an attack upon God. Absalom and his followers are mocking God with their uprising, and David, in his passion for God, wants God to flex His muscles and show them who He is and who is Boss! To slap their face means David wants God to humiliate them before His Divine Presence. To shatter their teeth means to render them powerless before His Glory and Strength. David is basically saying, “Show them who is God!”
As David prays this, he also realizes the innocent people of Israel will be hurt by this overthrow. Many will be oppressed. Many who loved David will be persecuted. David’s plea is for God to watch over the people that he can no longer protect. But even as David prays this prayer of powerlessness, he affirms a great truth. “Victory comes from you, O Lord.” That truth calms our fear and breathes life into our faith. You see, we may be powerless, but God never is. We may not be able to do anything, but God is able to do everything. “Today, we come to you, O Lord. We may be powerless, but we stand upon your Rock of Promise. We affirm the truth your Word gives us that the victory comes from YOU!” That’s God’s Word for you today.