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Hmmmmmm.


 He is the God who avenges me, who subdues nations under me, who saves me from my enemies. You exalted me above my foes; from violent men you rescued me. Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O LORD! I will sing praises to your name (Psalm 18:47-49)
            A couple months ago as I moved to Florida, God led me to the book of Joshua, with the idea that my promised land was internal. The Israelites were commanded to destroy the nations living in the land God was giving them, and to obey God. The extent that they did so would determine whether they were blessed or cursed. They did not obey. They did not destroy the nations, and so the nations did their best to conquer or destroy Israel. The problem wasn't with the nations. The problem was with Israel. She was sinning.
            Stop for a moment to listen to what is not being said here. I am not saying that if you have a problem it's because you're sinning. That is only one possibility, but it's a question I have to ask myself. Are there "nations" that I need God to subdue in me? Are there things in my life that do violence (harm) to me from whom I need God to rescue me? This issue was raised before. The fact that it is coming up again means that I didn't deal with it before or that I need to deal with it again.
            The focus today, however, is on the God who subdues, who saves, who exalts, and who rescues, not on the nations, the enemies, the foes or the violent men (or ideas). The God who subdues our flesh, who saves me from my petty ego, who exalts me above my fears; from violent ideas rescues me - He deserves praise within my soul. Could at least part of that saving be accomplished by singing praises to His name even within the privacy of my mind? If nothing else, if I'm singing praises, it's harder to think about those thoughts that defeat me. Hmmmm...

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