October 31, 2024 - 2 Samuel 22:32-51

October 31, 2024 - 2 Samuel 22:32-51

³² “For who is God, but the Lord?
    And who is a rock, except our God?
³³ This God is my strong refuge
    and has made my way blameless.
³⁴ He made my feet like the feet of a deer
    and set me secure on the heights.
³⁵ He trains my hands for war,
    so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
³⁶ You have given me the shield of your salvation,
    and your gentleness made me great.
³⁷ You gave a wide place for my steps under me,
    and my feet did not slip;
³⁸ I pursued my enemies and destroyed them,
    and did not turn back until they were consumed.
³⁹ I consumed them; I thrust them through, so that they did not rise;
    they fell under my feet.
⁴⁰ For you equipped me with strength for the battle;
    you made those who rise against me sink under me.
⁴¹ You made my enemies turn their backs to me,
    those who hated me, and I destroyed them.
⁴² They looked, but there was none to save;
    they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them.
⁴³ I beat them fine as the dust of the earth;
    I crushed them and stamped them down like the mire of the streets.

⁴⁴ “You delivered me from strife with my people;
    you kept me as the head of the nations;
    people whom I had not known served me.
⁴⁵ Foreigners came cringing to me;
    as soon as they heard of me, they obeyed me.
⁴⁶ Foreigners lost heart
    and came trembling out of their fortresses.

⁴⁷ “The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,
    and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation,
⁴⁸ the God who gave me vengeance
    and brought down peoples under me,
⁴⁹ who brought me out from my enemies;
    you exalted me above those who rose against me;
    you delivered me from men of violence.

⁵⁰ “For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations,
    and sing praises to your name.
⁵¹ Great salvation he brings to his king,
    and shows steadfast love to his anointed,
    to David and his offspring forever.”

As David continues praising God, he brings up the things God has enabled him to do.  The physical strength he gave David as well as the power over his enemies.

What gifts do you have that God gave you and how are you using them?

It isn’t wrong to use them to support your family, but are you also using them to glorify Him?

I think about Mark Hall the youth minister who is the lead singer of Casting Crowns.  He uses the ability to write beautiful songs for God in two jobs that both glorify God.  He also always gives God the glory.  In every interview I have seen he is very adamant that it is God writing the music and he is just the vessel that God uses. 

What is God doing through you?  What does He want to do through you?