A Horse is a Horse (Psalm 20)
July 30th, 2009During World War II, a US marine was separated from his unit on a Pacific island. The fighting had been intense, and in the smoke and the crossfire he had lost touch with his comrades. Alone in the jungle, he could hear enemy soldiers coming in his direction. Scrambling for cover, he found his way into a small cave. Although safe for the moment, he realized that once the enemy soldiers looking for himwould quickly search all the caves and he would be killed. As he waited, he prayed, “Lord, if it be your will, please protect me. Whatever your will though, I love you and trust you.” After praying, he lay quietly listening to the enemy begin to draw close. He thought, “Well, I guess the Lord isn’t going to help me out of this one.”
Then he saw a spider begin to build a web over the front of his cave. As he watched, listening to the enemy searching for him all the while, the spider layered strand after strand of web across the opening of the cave. “Hah,” he thought, “What I need is a brick wall and what the Lord has sent me is a spider web. God does have a sense of humor.” As the enemy drew closer he watched from the darkness of his hideout and could see them searching one cave after another. As they came to his, he got ready to make his last stand. To his amazement, however, after glancing in the direction of his cave, they moved on. Suddenly, he realized that with the spider web over the entrance, his cave looked as if no one had entered for quite a while.
“Lord, forgive me,” prayed the young man. “I had forgotten that in you a spider’s web is stronger than a brick wall.” We all face times of great challenge.
In times of difficulty or danger, we turn to God eagerly.
9.11.01
Origin of the USA
“In God we trust” on our money
Too often we turn away and go back to “business as usual.”
Psalm 20.7-9
Consider Two Lessons for Us:
I. A Lesson on Priorities
A. God First
1. Sacrifices to God before Battle (Psalm 20.1-6)
Pagans sacrificed to their gods
Faithful Hebrews sacrificed to YHWH and then went to battle
2. [Polycarp — The bishop of Smyrna was brought before the Roman authorities and told to curse Christ and he would be released. He replied, “Eighty-six years have I served him, and he has done me no wrong: how then can I blaspheme my king who saved me?” The Roman officer replied, “Unless you change your mind, I will have you burnt.” But Polycarp said, “You threaten a fire that burns for an hour, and after a while is quenched; for you are ignorant of the judgment to come and of everlasting punishment reserved for the ungodly. Do what you wish.”
3. Paul – 11 I was chosen to tell that Good News and to be an apostle and a teacher.12 I am suffering now because I tell the Good News, but I am not ashamed, because I know Jesus, the One in whom I have believed. And I am sure he is able to protect what he has trusted me with until that day. 2 Timothy 1.11-12
4. Us? – Matthew 6:33; 22:37-39; Deuteronomy 6; Leviticus 19; Ecclesiastes 12:13
B. People (Psalm 20.9)
1. Our King came for PEOPLE – John 3:16; Luke 19:10
2. He Created us in his likeness (Genesis 1:26)
II. A Lesson on Purpose
A. The King was to be God’s Representative to the People and the People’s Representative to God (Anointed)
a. Jesus does that today – Messiah/King
b. Does Battle for Us
B. We Are to Be Light in the Dark Places — God’s Representatives
1. Light of the World (Matthew 5:14-16)
2. Even in the darkness
[Idols – Asia 9′ idol with 38 arms to bring blessings from heavens to the worshipers;
[Animal and human sacrifices among the pagans – even today – jungles of Africa; deserts of Australia (when elderly die, youngest child is sacrificed)
[US has our own darkness – Fed Official – kill a child up to 2 years of age
[Individual areas of darkness
C. Prodigal Son in Luke 15
1. Went to the Far Country (Decapolis/area with the Gerasenes or Gadarenes)
2. He went with a bad attitude and alone
3. God sent his son to the Far Country, too
a. Heaven to Earth
b. Galilee to Gadarenes (the demon named, “Legion”)
c. He came with the right attitude and accompanied with servants of God – angels at his birth and the 12
4. He came to do the will of God in saving the lost (Luke 19:10) and trusting God (Luke 22:42 – let this cup pas. . . “)
Victory comes for the people of God! Psalm 20:5; 9
On February 19, 1945, Marines landed on the beaches of Iwo Jima, fighting by inches to secure a beachhead. After four days of knock-down-drag-out battle, they finally cleared the southern end of the island, climbed Mount Suribachi, and planted a US flag. The commander wanted a larger presence on Suribachi to encourage the Marines still fighting at the northern end of the island, so he ordered a larger flag raised. It was the raising of that larger flag that Joe Rosenthal caught in a famous photograph honoring the good soldiers who were fighting for victory in the Pacific.
