Friday 

Devotional

Read Psalm 18: 46-49

Psa 18:46 The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation--
Psa 18:47 the God who gave me vengeance and subdued peoples under me,
Psa 18:48 who delivered me from my enemies; yes, you exalted me above those who rose against me; you rescued me from the man of violence.
Psa 18:49 For this I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations, and sing to your name.

Thoughts for the day

This is a Psalm of gratitude for deliverance and victory. David wrote this to appreciate what the Lord had done, and was doing in his life. God gave him victory in every battle, over the Jebusites, Philistines, Syrians, Edomites and Saul; all those were his enemies.
In all those situations, he acknowledged God as the only source of his strength and power. He recounted many instances which rendered him vulnerable to the evil schemes of his enemies; but in a miraculous ways deliverance came.
Psalm 18, recounts the complexities of God’s protection schemes over His people. Many times as people, we fall in the trap of predicting how God would provide an answer to a need, and if the way out, turned out to be the opposite of what we thought; it heightens our anxiety over His ability to make provision for that need.
God has varieties of causes to bring situations under control; some could be negative, and others positive, whichever way, the primary understanding must be trusting his sovereignty, than trying to read into the way out.

David characterised God’s care with five military symbols, God is like, he stated:
• A Rock that can’t be moved by any who would harm us.
• A Fortress or place of safety where the enemy can’t follow.
• A Shield that comes between us and harm.
• A Horn of Salvation, a symbol of might and power.
• A Stronghold high above over enemies.
Whichever his devices, for our protection, it is better to look only to him in desperate and favourable situations.

Prayer Focus:

The only sure way to be delivered from surrounding evil is to call upon God for help and strength.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, help me to live in the secret place of your protection, where all provision of care will be available for my upkeep.