The Validity of Our Faith

4.29.2011

Psalm 139.10(b) "...your right hand will hold me fast." NIV

Who (or what) has you? It’s important that we know such things about ourselves. We can be consumed mentally with the boss, a co-worker; a neighbor, a situation, a circumstance; a spouse, a relative, a disease, a locale. Often is the opine, Oh, I wish… (fill-in the blank).

David was keenly aware of Who had him even though he had his moments when his memory seemed to go south. But overall, the man after God’s own heart, spoke in faith to others and to himself. The statement above, tucked into Psalm 139, was a statement of faith that David sang about and probably reminded himself of regularly; he needed to as a king over a nation of people who routinely did stupid things like trying to score brownie-points with him by murdering those they assumed threatened the crown (Abner and Ish-Bohseth).

We need to follow David’s example and speak faith to ourselves. We need to honestly acknowledge who has us and then live accordingly. When we confess that [His] right hand will hold [us] fast, then the next logical step is to understand that no matter the situation, God is there and actively involved – He holds us fast – fast as in fastened, unshakable, immovable. We’ll learn what we need to learn by knowing that God is holding us fast.

What is it in our lives that threatens God’s grip? But Paul, you just said… Yes, I know I said, but how do we respond to the things that catch us off-guard, or bug the living crap out of us? The answer to that rhetorical question is this: Your right hand will hold me fast. Because when we’re assaulted by this, that, or the other the first place we should turn is to God who holds us fast, and talk it over with Him. And in all reality, nothing threatens God’s grip except the things we think threaten His grip and when we think that, then we need to re-read Psalm 139 again and get it straight – nothing threatens God’s grip!

As I said, David sang these songs to himself to remind himself of Who was in charge. We need to sing the songs of faith to remind ourselves of the same thing. Recently my pastor said (somewhat tongue in cheek) Christians don’t tell lies, they just sing them… Our songs of faith (as we sing them) need to be statements of faith; otherwise we need to seriously question the validity of our faith.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.  (1 Co 10:31 NIV)
...and everything that does not come from faith is sin. (Romans 14:23b NIV)