I choked on the first four words of this psalm. "My heart is steadfast." Steadfast is not a description of my heart, it is what I would like to be described as but in current condition I am more fickle, unfocused and flaky than steadfast. Maybe yours is broken, calloused or guarded. The love for my husband, children, family, friends, my life, and my God is constantly wavered by my selfish desires for sleep, personal agenda, emotional fulfillment, gratitude, and material things. Steadfast is a grit your teeth sort of word, I imagine a weathered sailor hands still firmly on the wheel in the eye of the storm or battered soldier still raising the flag and charging forward sword drawn. Already in the time frame I've sat down to write this I've refilled my coffee, answered a text and phone call, helped my son get breakfast started, and gone to the bathroom. Really, I am not steadfast enough to even write a paragraph or two. I might as well give up. But maybe being steadfast is not about how much you fall off the path but how determined you are about getting back on track. That salty old sailor probably gets knocked down in the waves of the storm but He gets up and grabs the wheel again. We need to keep our hands on the Word of God to help us navigate in the storms of life. The soldier will get wounded in battle but he realizes there is no victory in a retreat so He raises his flag, arms himself with the sword and marches forward into more fights. We have to realize their is a war waging out there around us and that we must be under God's banner and arm ourselves with the sword of truth found in His word. It is how we can march forward steadfastly. We will get wounded but it is about continuing on toward the direction of victory not giving up or retreating. The end of the chapter promises with God we will gain the victory. He will trample down our enemies. Christ's return with calm the storm and He will win the war. In the meantime, grit your teeth and steadfastly cling to God and his promises in His word.
Psalm 108 Questions -
1. What is the condition of your heart?
2. Does your soul sing? Or is it just your mouth uttering words. Does your brain understand the words, does your heart throb in repentance, does your soul sing with joy and thanksgiving?
3. Do you awaken the dawn and start the morning with God, singing His praises?
4. Do we end our prayers short with just asking for help? Do we ask for victory? Do we ask for great things to be done so we can give God the glory?
5. Look up to the sky. God's love and faithfulness reaches higher. Do you know that love? Do you ask for eyes to see it and a heart to feel it and a mind to know it?
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