In the book of Second Samuel, chapter 22, David has come to the end of his life and is reflecting on it through song and poetry. David was an incredible figure. A creative and a warrior. As he thinks about his life, he remembers, quite honestly, how bad it was sometimes.
Here’s some of the language he uses to recall the difficult times:
“The waves of death swirled about me, the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me.”
These are not words that call to mind just “having a bad day.” He’d had multiple near-death experiences. This is strangely comforting to me. Why?
Here’s David, a towering figure of all human history, at the end of his life possessing something we often lack – or forget – in the midst of hard times: perspective. He’s zoomed way out. We tend to live life zoomed in. We see our circumstances up close. We feel them intimately. We are hurting, frustrated, broken – or joyous, proud and strong – in that moment. It’s ok – that’s normal.
But especially when we’re hurting, very in touch with some specific pain, sin, mistake, or failure – or perhaps confused – it is then that it is most important for us to zoom out. To see the whole view, as David does here.
In that zoomed out state, even in the midst of really hard times, David sees the arc of God’s faithfulness and declares that God is his:
Rock
Fortress
Deliverer
Refuge
Shield
Salvation
Stronghold
Then he concludes his song with shouts of praise:
The Lord lives!
Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God, the Rock, my Salvation!
So today, zoom out. See the fullness of your life that will be, not just the life that is. We serve a God who has promised restoration – of our souls, minds and bodies – and indeed of all things. We will be able to look back over the arc of our lives and, from the vantage point of eternity, see that God’s had us all along.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Joel
Joel Searby
