Don't quit on me now!

 4-6 When they hear what you have to say, God, all earth's kings will say "Thank you."  They'll sing of what you've done: "How great the glory of God!"  And here's why: God, high above, sees far below; no matter the distance, he knows everything about us.  7-8 When I walk into the thick of trouble, keep me alive in the angry turmoil. With one hand strike my foes, with your other hand save me.  Finish what you started in me, God. Your love is eternal—don't quit on me now.
(Psalm 138:4-8)

David had a special way of telling us about how God interacts with is children.  This psalm is just another example of what David had come to know about the Lord he served.  Imagine all kinds of this earth proclaiming that God is great and that his glory is high above all other!  David must have been speaking prophetically here, because we sure have not seen the day where we can say that the kings are giving glory to God like that!

The crux of this psalm is really found just after that - God, high above, sees far below!  We may not "see" him, but he sees us!  If nothing else, the fact that God even notices humankind should bring us to our knees!  David is quite clear when he says that "no matter the distance, he knows everything about us".  Wow!  Nothing escapes his notice - nothing is overlooked for his intervention.  Too many times we come to the conclusion that we are in the thick of things all alone - no one noticing the mess we are in.  Just the opposite is true - God never misses a beat!

David's plea is that God will finish what he began in David's life.  Those are words that literally tug at the heart-strings of God's infinitely large heart!  All of heaven knows that we are not very good at finishing what WE start!  We make starts and stops like jackrabbits on a hot day!  There is very little consistency in our walk, but God sees it all - both the starts and the stops.  Both attract his attention.  When we cry out for him to finish what HE started, forgetting what it is the WE started, his hands are quick to go into action on our behalf.

Why does God let us start things on our own when he knows they will end in failure?  I imagine it is so we will learn just how insufficient our self-will, self-dependence, and self-determination are.  Once we fail, we consider the error of OUR ways and are often open to considering the blessing of GOD's ways.  God never asked for us to be robots - under his control and just going through the motions of serving him.  He wants us to come to the conclusion that his ways are better than our own - so he allows us to experience the results of our own actions.

Then end result is usually that end up calling out like David, "Finish what you started God!  I got it all messed up when I tried it on my own!"  I honestly believe that God unleashes all of heaven's resources at those very words!  He never misses a step we take - all the while just waiting to hear that we need him to finish what he began!  Glory!  

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