Today, we are in Psalm 108, a psalm of David that reminds us that we only do valiantly when we are with God. Let's read together:

1 My heart is steadfast, O God!

    I will sing and make melody with all my being!

2 Awake, O harp and lyre!

    I will awake the dawn!

3 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;

    I will sing praises to you among the nations.

4 For your steadfast love is great above the heavens;

    your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!

    Let your glory be over all the earth!

6 That your beloved ones may be delivered, give salvation by your right hand and answer me!

7 God has promised in his holiness: “With exultation I will divide up Shechem and portion out the Valley of Succoth.

8 Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;

    Ephraim is my helmet,

    Judah my scepter.

9 Moab is my washbasin;

    upon Edom I cast my shoe;

    over Philistia I shout in triumph.”

10 Who will bring me to the fortified city?

    Who will lead me to Edom?

11 Have you not rejected us, O God?

    You do not go out, O God, with our armies.

12 Oh grant us help against the foe,

    for vain is the salvation of man!

13 With God we shall do valiantly;

    it is he who will tread down our foes.

As we read in these verses, as much as we try, we cannot manipulate the Father, coax Him into doing something our way that He knows is not best for us or our situations... even if what He wills leads to difficulties that fine-tune us into Who He wants and needs us to be, to be used for His glory. 

As His under-shepherds, we must take Psalm 108 seriously and apply it where we live, work, worship, and recreate.

My challenge for us today is to take a few minutes to dig deeply into our soul and ask ourselves the questions we discuss in the podcast today— without writing down the “what I should say” answers — ask the Father how He sees you in these areas. Then journal what you hear and commit to what your next steps should be.

As you do this, you'll PROVIDE space for Him to work, PROTECT your relationship with Him by being honest in your conversations with Him, and BE PRESENT with the Father today.

May you live deeply into your calling this week.