Psalm 3: God - Our Sustaining Shield

    "But you, O LORD, are a shield about me,
        my glory, and the lifter of my head.
    I cried aloud to the LORD,
        and he answered me from his holy hill.
    I lay down and slept;
        I woke again, for the LORD sustained me.
    I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
        who have set themselves against me all around.
    Arise, O LORD!
        Save me, O my God!
    For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
        you break the teeth of the wicked.
    Salvation belongs to the LORD;
        your blessing be on your people!"
(Psalm 3:3-8 ESV)

 Have you experienced, or are experiencing opposition in life? Maybe you feel like the world is against you. Things are going badly at work, your boss or a coworker has it out for you. Maybe things are just not going your way, and it seems like everything you do fails and bad things are happening all around you.

In Psalm 3, David certainly felt this way. His son Absalom had turned against him, and was hunting him down and trying to kill him. Talk about rough circumstances! He was scared for his life, and running from his son was both physically and emotionally draining. But David turned to God, and recognized that God would protect him and sustain him. He trusted that if he cried out to God, that God would answer. He did not first rely on himself and his own power, but turned immediately to God as his protector and sustainer.

What is the first thing that we do when we are experiencing trouble in life? Do we first try everything in our own power to solve our own problems. Do we wait until we are at the end of our rope both physically and emotionally before turning to God and crying out for help?

This should not be! We should have the faith to turn to God first! God is ready and willing to come to the aid of His people if we would but turn to Him. But we should trust Him to sustain and protect us in every aspect of our lives not only when we are in trouble. We should live daily trusting in God and knowing that He is right by our side sustaining us through life, and in Him is the power to handle any circumstance, if we would but turn to Him.