“Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
who trains my hands for war,
and my fingers for battle;
he is my steadfast love and my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield and he in whom I take refuge,
who subdues peoples under me…
Bow your heavens, O Lord, and come down!
Touch the mountains so that they smoke!
Flash forth the lightning and scatter them;
send out your arrows and rout them!
Stretch out your hand from on high;
rescue me and deliver me from the many waters,
from the hand of foreigners,
whose mouths speak lies
and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
I will sing a new song to you, O God;
upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,
who gives victory to kings,
who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.” Psalm 144:1-2,5-10
Almighty God is master war strategist. Strong, unflappable, focused, skilled. He trains to every detail what we need in spiritual combat, and abides as our fortress and stronghold. And He fights for us! We never go alone against the foe!
How often we meet foes mental, physical, and spiritual. Daily we encounter battles against the flesh, temptation to cheat, covet, and complain. Greed, lust, shame, sloth… many are the enemies that stroll our minds and emotions and work to undo us. Yet, great is God, and greater. He sets us up to claim His promises, to go to war trusting His power to protect and vanquish. He intends that we see our self-made fortresses fail, and that He alone is Victor. (1 John 4:4)
How do we react when faced with danger? How do we respond to enemies pesky and formidable? Would we turn our attention from them to bless the LORD our Rock? Would we deliberately secure ourselves in His armor, and fight the good fight in His name, skill, and strength? What past act of help or deliverance will we thank Him for and let fuel this day’s confidence? (Ephesians 6:10-18; 2 Timothy 4:7)
Blessing the Lord reminds us of how He acts on behalf of His children and noble purposes. God’s steadfast love holds us, and nothing can separate us from that love. His power guards us from every attempted snatch of the enemy’s hand, and subdues those who are against us. Who He is and all He does for His people beckons us to trust and delight in Him. (John 10:280-29; Romans 8:31-39)
“We rest on thee, our Shield and our Defender!
We go not forth alone against the foe;
strong in thy strength, safe in thy keeping tender,
we rest on thee, and in thy name we go.
Yea, in thy name, O Captain of salvation!
In thy dear name, all other names above:
Jesus our righteousness, our sure foundation,
our Prince of glory and our King of love.
We go in faith, our own great weakness feeling,
and needing more each day thy grace to know:
yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing,
‘We rest on thee, and in thy name we go.’
We rest on thee, our Shield and our Defender!
Thine is the battle, thine shall be the praise;
when passing through the gates of pearly splendor,
victors, we rest with thee, through endless days.” ~Edith G. Cherry (1895)
Lord, help me fight in Your strength and Name, to Your victory.
As the rain and snow 