Mind Meld of A Different Kind

PSALM 21
For the choir director: A psalm of David.
How the king rejoices in your strength, O Lord!

He shouts with joy because you give him victory.

For you have given him his heart’s desire;

you have withheld nothing he requested.

Interlude

You welcomed him back with success and prosperity.

You placed a crown of finest gold on his head.

He asked you to preserve his life,

and you granted his request.

The days of his life stretch on forever.

Your victory brings him great honor,

and you have clothed him with splendor and majesty.

You have endowed him with eternal blessings

and given him the joy of your presence.

For the king trusts in the Lord.

The unfailing love of the Most High will keep him from stumbling.

You will capture all your enemies.

Your strong right hand will seize all who hate you.

You will throw them in a flaming furnace when you appear.

The Lord will consume them in his anger;

fire will devour them.

You will wipe their children from the face of the earth;

they will never have descendants.

Although they plot against you,

their evil schemes will never succeed.

For they will turn and run when they see your arrows aimed at them.

Rise up, O Lord, in all your power.

With music and singing we celebrate your mighty acts.

The source of success
Sometimes everything goes perfectly. The best laid plans of mice and men – work! The details fall into place just the way they needed to. Those involved finish the project (or battle in this case) with celebration and feelings of walking on air. Pat ourselves on the back. Or not.

While success brings honor to those involved, the credit for the success itself, in the end, goes to God. Zig Zigler observed that success happens when planning and preparation intersect opportunity. The vast majority of opportunities cannot possibly result from our design. They are beyond our ability to control. Is this merely chance?

On the surface, the first ingredients belong to us. Planning and preparation demand our hard work, study, and huge expenditure of energy. We can be sure David didn’t go into battle half cocked! Nevertheless, best laid plans of mice and men going awry fill the history books and our own stories. In the end, both ingredients either belong to God or to chance.

I choose to believe its all about God. I wrestle with understanding how God involves himself in all our plans and projects. But, with David, I know he is the One who acts in victory and in defeat, success and failure, to bring about his good plans for this human race he lavishly loves.

Sovereign God, help me to better understand your ways and so be transformed by the renewing of my mind. But ultimately, grant me the gift of simple trust that brings me into the company of David so together we will always give credit to you for every success. - Mike Leamon

To the victor go the spoils
My wife and I were treated to a viewing of Prince Caspian yesterday. The movie demonstrates how fierce war can be and the cost of fighting. David was no stranger to war and fighting. From an early age he had engaged enemy forces in combat. Beginning with lions and bears and graduating to giants and then hordes of Philistines, David knew the pain of war.

David was hailed as a mighty warrior by all of Israel even before he was king. It would have been easy for David to begin to feel he was invincible, able to conquer any foe despite the overwhelming odds against him. But David is not that way, he prays for protection and upon returning safe from battle acknowledges the Lord’s hand in the victory.

David knows God has been the source of victory, yet David is blessed with the spoils. What a wonderful reminder for us. God will bring about the victory and we receive the blessing.

Almighty God, when I stand and face opposition help me to know the victory comes from you. Forgive me when I let pride convince me I have accomplished the victory. - Dan Jones