By Lori Tyler
Psalm 31:1-4, 15-16
David was a man after God’s own heart. David was called by God. He worshiped Him with all his being. His Psalms praise God as King of Creation, Lord of All, and Light of the World. David knew his place. God was God, and he was not. But I think David was a man after God’s own heart, not just because of his faithful praise, but also because of his neediness for God’s refuge and help in his life.
In Psalm 31 he is running from Saul who is pursuing him. David is crying out for deliverance from his enemy. He is a man in distress and trouble. We are familiar with the many Psalms that praise God for who He is — mighty, majestic, a faithful Savior. But do we remember the Psalms that are open, honest, and raw before God?
It is good to know that we can pray a selfish prayer every once a while. A prayer to protect us from harm, watch over our children or help us in a difficult situation at work. We can run to Him for refuge and safety. He is, after all, Our Deliver, Our Refuge, and Our Savior. I want to praise Him for his holiness and majesty. But I’m sure glad He’s also there to hear about my worries and needs.
A healthy spiritual life, I think, means that we can be a little selfish every once in a while. David shows it’s OK to be afraid, to be anxious, to need God to step in when we feel out of control. Isn’t that what Easter is all about? Your salvation and mine was out of our control. We can’t save ourselves. Sin was the enemy, the winner. We needed a little, OK a lot, of help. Thankfully, what David knew and what Easter reminds us about is that God offers a love so great that His life was sacrificed for mine. Wow, what a beautiful reminder of the lopsided relationship we have with God! A selfless love for a selfish life.