Deliverance
Psalm 34:4
I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
I know some of you are saying to yourself, 'what does she mean by this; I have no fears.' How many of you have it all together. I know some of you are struggling to get all your ducks in a row. But I am pretty sure I hear the chickens clucking madly behind you somewhere. That is like when I wrote the title for my series and people suddenly hated it. I remember getting mail saying 'why would you do that.' It is wonderful that you are saved, healed, delivered and on your way to Heaven. However, some of the rest of us down here in this big bad mean world still struggle with things. David would call such things his fears. I do not know about you, but some of us are afraid about an awful lot of stuff. See, you wonder about the Lord's return. You wonder if you will survive till payday. Maybe you just want to make it out of the current situation alright. Some of you wonder if the Lord will keep your own family, much less your nation, and thus the whole wide world. See, no matter where David found himself, he kept going back to God.
Herein are the three responses of God to his people seen. Note that God first heard him. When you have complaints to make, it is good to find someone that listens. So is God with his people. In Psalm 3:4 we see a similar sentiment echoed. God does not always choose to respond right away. Sometimes he will just sit with you in the silence as he did for Job. But unlike that man's three friends, is he not better to you than any other. God does not even try to dispute David's cry. He only listens. More than that, God hears the prayers of those that are in Psalm 120:1 situation. He is not a negligent father that some of you know. Nor did he mix the children's orders up and gave them all poisonous things.
So, David's seeking of God prompted a response as in Psalm 18:6. His importance was such that the Lord would tear apart all Heaven and earth just to rescue him again. See, God is not merely sitting on a fluffy cloud, playing hide and seek, nor are you yet lost to him. In all his mess and distress, David saw the deliverance of God. He wants to hear from each and every one of you personally. His answer might be now, later, or in eternity; but trust me, it will come. For so God delivers his people. See, at the end of the text in Psalm 34:22 the overshadowing deliverance of God. David might have had to wait a little while to see it; yet by faith God came through. When he was done the situation, the trouble, and the test would be no more. For here is God's deliverance complete. Even when God is delayed you can still trust him. Your deliverance is on its way. You only need to keep praying, keep believing, and keep walking by faith. God has neither forgotten nor abandoned you yet. It might seem to you at times that there is no answer or deliverance yet to be had. But God's time is not exactly like ours. For so he did with his own Son. No matter how long it may be, you can trust him for his deliverance is perfectly found.