Psalm 57: ¹ Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, until the destroying storms pass by. ² I cry to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. ³ He will send from heaven and save me, he will put to shame those who trample on me. God will send forth his steadfast love and his faithfulness. 

We are told this psalm was written by King David before he was king – when he was running for his life from his predecessor, King Saul. This morning it’s v.2 that gets my attention. God had a purpose for David, which he revealed to David when the prophet Samuel found David as a young teen. Samuel, under direction of God, anointed David and told him that God would one day make him king of Israel. Years later, when David was 30 years old, God indeed made him king.

But there were many times along the way when it seemed God’s promise would never come true.

This psalm was written during one of these times when God’s plans appeared to be for naught. King Saul was jealous of David and tried many times to have him killed. Yet God protected David and ultimately made good on the promise. Saul was killed and David was crowned.

Some of you reading this blog post feel a bit like David. It seems that God’s purpose for you keeps getting derailed, delayed, detoured. It’s tempting to just give up. I know because I’ve been there. It’s. Taking. So. Long…… Maybe this time of testing is exactly what you need to grow in perseverance so that you can actually succeed in your calling and not fail. God does that, you know. God will delay things until you are ready to be who God created you to be. Don’t give up dear sister/brother.

Lord, give us faith to follow after you and not fail. Amen.