PSALM 4:3 – But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.”

Go ahead and read today’s scripture again SLOWLY.  What is revealed in this one verse thrills the soul, encourages the heart, and renews the mind with love, adoration, confidence, and renewed commitment to follow the Lord with more zeal and consistency.

The context is David in a condition of distress. Circumstances were not in his favor.  Wicked men were seeking to dishonor him, and the man after God’s own heart is crying out to the Lord for help.  In the first two verses we see his distressed condition.  He is praying not flowery words of religious nonsense.  He is pouring out his fear to his heavenly Father.   David models for us how the child of God is to unburden his or her heart to the Lord.  Yes, these petitions from David are in the form of commands – “Answer me when I call”, and “Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.” But there is no presumption or arrogance in his plea.

Yet the other truth in the Psalm is nothing short of amazing.  Here it is . . . God has set apart the godly for Himself.  What?  Us? Believers set apart for God?  Yes, that is right. What? Believers who stumble and often fall short of living up to the family traits of being God’s possession? Yes, that is right.

So, do we see ourselves as God does – His possession?  Not always, and that is the main reason we don’t walk consistently in the joy of the Lord.  We look way too much to ourselves and our conduct as Christians which will always depress us instead of remembering how God sees us and treats us – His children bought by the blood of His Son, the Lord Jesus. The Apostles Paul and Peter affirm this truth for us.  First, Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians – Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Then Peter – And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot (1 Peter 1:17-19).

The key to our joy in the Lord, and confident living for the Lord is learning to be amazed by how He sees us.  Learn to renew our minds and hearts with the truths of our identity before God.  We are set apart for Him, adopted forever in His family, and will never ever experience one second or ounce of His wrath.  He doesn’t punish His children since His Son took our punishment so we would know the joy of being His possession by creation and redemption!  Amazing, huh?  Well, seek to be amazed by such truths!

PRAYER: “Father, may I live up to the high calling of being set apart for You.”

QUOTE: “To be set apart for the Lord means nothing is allowed to set us apart from the Lord.”