I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. (Psalms 18:1, 2 KJV)
Scripture is very clear regarding the personal relationship that believers have with God. Would you please note all of the “my” statements made here by David? These were declarations of what was in the very depths of his being. These were affirmations of David’s soul. He was reciting some script. He wasn’t reading from some parchment. This was real. This was not the mere letter of a creed. They were rooted in his determination to walk in loving fellowship with The Lord.
This is what our fellowship with Jesus is to be like. Personal. Real. Living, not academic. Loving, not religious or legalistic. Meditate on these “my” statements for a moment. The Lord was the very source of David’s strength and deliverance. God was his salvation, fortress, buckler and high tower. Is it possible that The Lord Jesus would be anything less to a new covenant, born again child of God? In our day and age of incredible access to information, I am afraid that we have substituted intellectual knowledge about The Lord for deep fellowship with The Lord. I find myself often crying out to God to make these kinds of affirmations real and living in my soul, not just memorization verses with no life within.
Do not settle for a walk with Jesus that is anything less than personal and real. Many people live off of the devotionals or teachings of others in the body of Christ. Yes, God gifts the church with teachers who bless us. But no teacher is meant to be a substitute for The Master. For Jesus alone is our rock, our strength, our deliverer, our buckler, our fortress and our salvation. Only loving Christ for Who He will transform your life from duty to delight. Oh my! Blessed be His Name!
