“²He said, ‘The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, ³my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. ⁴I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.’” – 2 Samuel 22:2-4 (ESV)

Am I looking to God as my deliverer? God wants nothing but the best for me. He wants to make sure that I am safe, secure, and strong to complete the tasks He has for me.

About 2 ½ years ago I was studying “savior” and wrote the following on this same passage: “David identifies God as his savior and “the horn of my salvation”. Think of animals with horns, those horns are not necessarily used as weapons, they are for protection. The horns are defensive tools.”

God is my protector when times are tough. He provides the right tools for the task at hand. Sometimes that is a sword, and sometimes that is a shield. My salvation gives me all that I need in just the moment I need it.

When you look at where you are, are you looking for the salvation provided by God? Are you only preparing to go out there with the sword only? Take a look and examine, what tools has God provided for you as you do his will?

“¹And Hannah prayed and said, ‘My heart exults in the Lord; my strength is exalted in the Lord. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.’” – 1 Samuel 2:1 (ESV)

Hannah had asked for a son of God and she was given Samuel. In her thanks, and in the right time, Samuel was brought to the Lord. Hannah prayed to the Lord with the prayer that began with the verse above.

As I look at this verse, I see the model of prayer that Jesus taught the disciples. Prayer to God should begin with the giving of glory to Him, as you can see below:

“²And he said to them, ‘When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.’” – Luke 11:2 (ESV)

Even before Jesus taught to pray, Hannah prayed accordingly in honor of the Lord. She was grateful for the love and glory of God. She rounds out verse one with rejoice for the salvation provided by God.

I have to remember that no matter where I am or what I am doing, I should be praying to God. And in my prayer, I should be modeling my prayer after the model Jesus taught and Hannah expressed well before. All glory to Him and rejoice in the salvation I have thanks to Him.

When you pray, how are you opening your prayers? What is the top item on your list to discuss with God? Are you glorifying Him and rejoicing in salvation?

Studying salvation began for me as a topic that would yield a great deal of knowledge as our lives are built on the salvation we receive from our Lord and Savior. I will say that so far in this first week, my study has produced reminders of that salvation.

“¹⁵But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked; you grew fat, stout, and sleek; then he forsook God who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation.” – Deuteronomy 32:15 (ESV)

Here in “The Song of Moses” we are reminded that Israel forgot, or more accurately, turned away from God and the salvation He had provided. In the verses that follow, it is reviewed of the gods that were erected and worshiped in the place of God, and the anger that generated in our Lord.

I have to ask myself, how is it that you turn away from God? How do you not remember what God has provided for you?

The answer is, when I really look deeply in myself is, I just get wrapped up in myself and do not take the time to come back. The word I use here, take, is deliberate. The time I allot is always there, it is up to me to how I use that time and how I schedule it. I do not have the ability to create more to allot somewhere. It is up to me to spend my time, seeking, looking for, reviewing, and praising the salvation provided by my Lord. I am responsible for the remembering my salvation as given freely by God.

When I sit here in the mornings at about 5 am, I have taken the time to study God’s Word and seek the path He has for me. I look for and review what He has provided for me. And I praise Him for that salvation.

How are you spending your time? Are you reviewing daily your relationship with Christ? Are you taking time for salvation?

I know that I have found myself praising in one moment and turn away in another.

“²The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.” – Exodus 15:2 (ESV)

“¹When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, ‘Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’” – Exodus 32:1 (ESV)

You can see in the above passages that the Israelite people that God delivered out of Egypt were the same as me with their praise and then turning away. When they were rescued from the Egyptians at the Red Sea, they sang praises to Him, and when they were left on their own for a bit, they turned away toward other gods.

When I think about myself, am I really turning away from God? It is not like I consciously say to myself, “look away from God and to another for help”. It is that I simply see that things are going well and forget when things turn difficult, that God is there to help me through it. I find myself working to do it on my own and when I get to the point where I cannot go any further on my own, I act as though God has abandoned me, when he was simply allowing me to go it on my own waiting on me to seek deliverance.

God is worthy of my continued praise, not just when I am experiencing good times. He allows me the opportunity to do my own thing and it is my responsibility to know and remember that all I do is and should be for His glory. When I am able to do that, I will realize the continued salvation He provide and will be able to praise Him always.

Have you found yourself in a situation where you are praising God in one moment and turning away in another? Are you aware that God is always with you? Are you able to go forward with praising the salvation God provides, always?

“¹³And Moses said to the people, ‘Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.’” – Exodus 14:13 (ESV)

I have to be still and see. God demonstrates his salvation in many ways. There is the fulfillment we feel when we accept Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. There is the blessings bestowed upon us as we complete God’s work. There is the protection provided in times of persecution. And then there is the deliverance that comes when we are looking another way.

God is constantly delivering me. On my drive to work. On my ability to work. By providing food, shelter, transportation, and health. Each of those I may not see as salvation at the time, only after reflection do I see them and provide thanks to my Lord.

Thanks to the world around me, I find myself not focusing on the deliverance from things that Gods saves me from each day. I am numb to what happens around me as I look to the next item on my list. I find myself only looking at the task and not the result of or the journey to complete and tend to miss out on the salvation that was provided and thus I miss out on the opportunity to thank God.

I have to slow down and take a good look around me at all times and see the salvation provided by my Lord to me. His salvation is all around and it is up to me to see and call it out with thanksgiving.

Are you aware of the salvation around you from our Lord? What has happened around you that you may have missed as you look for the next item on you list? Are you able to consciously look for and see the salvation of the Lord?

Things don’t just fall in my lap as a general rule. I have to be seeking them and working to achieve. The same is to be said about salvation.

“¹⁸I wait for your salvation, O Lord.” – Genesis 49:18 (ESV)

I have been led to this verse again for the 2^nd time in about 3 weeks. First was as I studied wait, and now in the beginning of my study of salvation. Seven words in the verse and 2 days worth of study on my part.

Jacob takes the moment to praise God. He is declaring the needed help and his seeking of salvation from the Lord. He knows that all of which he is asking and wants are only supplied by the gracious love of God.

What about me? I have to know that the things that I want to happen are the things I bring to the front of my mind. But, it does not end there. I have to be conscious of those and bring them to God for He is the one to deliver them to me, but only if in His plan for me.

Salvation is one that I have achieved when I gave myself to Christ. I have gained inheritance into heaven. But I must still seek out salvation each day. It is not a one time gift that I place in my pocket and use when I “need” it. Salvation is one of those that I seek continually after in conscious thought and deed.

Jacob stated that he waits for salvation, but what I see is a man that seeks salvation and knows that the only way to receive it fully is to ask for and address it continually so as to keep it at the forefront of his mind and actions each day.

Are you aware of the continuous need for salvation? Did you maybe feel as though you had arrived with your profession of faith? Are you conscious of your need of salvation?

“²⁰because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.” – 1 Peter 3:20 (ESV)

Here I see the reference to the patience of God even as far back as Noah. Only eight people were saved from the flood and destruction of the world. God waited for more people to follow Him and trust in Him until the ark was completed.

God put in plenty of time waiting as it took about 100 years for Noah to complete the build. It is difficult for us to fathom this time as I did a little research and found that a group rebuilt the ark in modern times and only took 2 years. So God’s patience with the people was certainly plentiful. It is not like God told Noah to build the ark and said, you got 2 years so get to it. God allowed plenty of time, although that time was not written, for people to come to Him.

Now that Christ has died for our sins and transgressions, God continues to wait. He is waiting and giving everyone a chance for repentance and salvation. He waits for us to follow Him. He waits for us to surrender to Him. Again, there is no time written, but shouldn’t that create some urgency on our part to get going?

When you think about where you are, are you following Christ? Have you gone to Him to declare your devotion to outward willingness to follow Him? Did you know that God is waiting on you?

When I am praying, God is listening. He is waiting on me. Maybe not on me to do or say anything in particular, just waiting on me to arrive at the place He had planned for me.

“¹I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.” – Psalm 40:1(ESV)

God is always listening to me and my cries. He is sympathetic toward my suffering. He wants and gives nothing but the best to me. I have to remember that there is a plan and a final reward for me and my life, here in this world and in heaven respectively.

I have a duty to wait patiently for everything to manifest. Maybe the time has not come for me yet. Maybe my suffering is simply a by product of the timing of what is to come. I have to remember that God’s timing is perfect and He will never forsake me.

Once I have realized rescue from whatever suffering I have endured, it is my responsibility to declare the glory of the Lord to all.

²He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. ³He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord…⁹I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord. ¹⁰I have not hidden you deliverance within my hear; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.” – Psalm 40:2-3 & 9-10 (ESV)

I have found myself in positions where I have received blessing or good things have happened and I have delayed or simply held those blessings to myself so as to not cause anyone else to stumble and doubt the greatness and mercy of our God. It seems as though I need to revisit that process.

The Lord does not want me to cause others to stumble, He does however want me to provide hope for those I come in contact with. My declarations of the blessing bestowed from God are worthy of, and should be shared. It is the content and motive of the heart that God is looking at me to be careful with. I have to remember not to boast about things, only declare praise to God and encourage others to continue waiting patiently as they diligently do God’s work.

I believe that I have struggled with praising God in the past due to what I have praised him for. I should be thankful for the monetary blessings that God allows me to have, however those are not what I should be praising God about openly. That fancy new car, house, clothing, or electronics are not where I should be heaping praise to God for the blessings. My focus should be on the peace of mind, health, love, ability to help others, and safety with Christ. I should be heaping praise on God for those with the understanding that the monetary items are a result. When I am #blessed, am I really declaring the true blessings God is heaping on me?

What about you, are you hesitant to declare publicly the blessing from our Lord? Have you thought of the blessings that you are declaring and their impact on those around you? Are waiting for and declaring the right blessings?

I have seen many men sitting on a bench at the department store, or in a mall environment. They sit and wait, and I have often though of how cute it is that they just sit waiting for their significant other. Why do they just sit?

“⁹For thy themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, ¹⁰and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” – 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10(ESV)

“⁶And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, ⁷so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.” – 1 Thessalonians 1:6-7 (ESV)

This passage is a window into waiting for me. You see, the men sitting on the bench have given of them selves and given up their own selfish desires to provide for others (their significant others). The Thessalonians gave up their idols to serve the greater, living God and now they wait for others to reach the same place. They selflessly have provided for others in Macedonia and in Achaia and now sit patiently to receive their reward with the coming again of Jesus.

I have to be willing to be satisfied with what I have and give selflessly for others. Whether my wife, boys, family, friends, coworkers, or strangers on the street. I have to remember my task is to bring the gospel to those around me and then I sit and wait for my reward to be realized upon the return of Christ.

Are you sitting and waiting? Have you done the work for others selflessly? Are you able to wait as an example?

I have made it a practice of waiting when at dinner with a group. When the meal is being served, I am not looking to quickly jump into my meal. I will simply wait for everyone in the party to receive their order prior to digging in myself. I am not sure where it was exactly that I learned this, but I see it as an act of respect because why should I be enjoying my meal when others are still waiting.

“³³So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another—³⁴if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment…” – 1 Corinthians 11:33-34 (ESV)

Paul is referring to our taking of The Lord’s Supper here, and we should have/be examining ourselves and not concerned with the actions of others. We should not come to The Lord’s Supper to get full, but to fellowship with other Christians. It is difficult to fellowship when there is judgment in the air.

Waiting on others to eat may seem trivial, however how do you feel when someone goes ahead of you when you started together. I used to walk in to the hair salon and get on the list, only to find that I was the only one there and happened to be 4^th on the list. Just about the time I was to be called, the other 3 would walk in and go ahead of me and I was left to continue waiting. I would begin all of the thoughts of fairness and cast judgment on them. Then I realized that I too had the ability to get on the list from home and now I walk in understanding where I am in line, with no more judgment on my part. But the judgment is still there as others see me walk in and go ahead of them.

Paul is wanting me to do my business at home so as to remove the judgment and just enjoy the company and fellowship. If I am hungry, my focus will be on the meal and if others are hungry, their focus is on the meal. What if we all were at the same place and were able to just enjoy each other? What if I were able to just simply meet with and engage with others?

Waiting for one another provides me the opportunity to engage and fellowship without judgment. I and they are able to enjoy each other’s company without the thoughts of they have and I have not.

When you are in situations, are you conscious of others? How do you act at dinner with a group? What actions can you take to wait for one another next time?