YM Devo: God’s Protection

Recently, in my own personal devotions, I came across Psalm 40.  I love Psalm 40 for a variety of reason (1 being it’s a U2 song), but verse 11 really stuck out to me.

Psalm 40:11 says, “Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD; may your love and your truth always protect me.

This was David sharing and it was a verse that I hung onto for the rest of that week and even today.  Here is what I got out of it.

• He asked God to “not withhold your mercy from me”.  Basically he is saying that he knows he is a sinful guy and that he has messed up a bunch.  So as he is trying to do what is right he is asking for God to be merciful and gracious to him.  As followers of Christ and Youth Ministers, we are going to make mistakes and not handle situations the most appropriate ways.  But the great news is God has plenty of grace and mercy for all of us to go around.
• He says, “may your love…always protect me.”  I believe love is personal.  Relationships in general are messed up as they can be very self-centered and conditional; a sort of a “what have you done for me lately” mindset.  This is particularly true of our ministering to teenagers.  If we “wrong” them in some way, they shut us out completely.  But what I appreciate the most is that God gives unconditional love and it will always cover and protect us no matter what situation we are in.  His love is greater than all things and it will protect us through the great times and the bad as long as we allow ourselves to feel the love.
• Finally he says, “may your truth always protect me.”  The fact is people will always have their own version of the truth as truth can sometimes be how we perceive things to be (whether we are right or wrong).  We may be falsely accused of something or confronted with something that is inaccurate which may really stink and cause tension at work or at home. But the reality is that the REAL truth rests in the Lord.  After all He did say, “I am the way, the TRUTH and the life”.  He is the ultimate truth and understanding.  We have to continue to trust in Him and His truth no matter what happens here on earth.