God Promises a Pathway to Heaven

Psalms 142:3, 5, 7 When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me…5 I cry to you, O LORD; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” 7 Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.
 
DAVID wrote this psalm when he and his men were hiding from Saul in a cave in the Desert of En Gadi. Saul’s 3,000-man army was near David and his men, but they did not know it. (See 1 Samuel 24.) What do you  do when you seem to be in a cave? How do  you respond to overwhelming illness, doubt, despair, envy and many other “armies” that entrap you?
   In this psalm and many others is the understanding that God is “my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” As he did many times in his distress, David prayed to God with expectation the LORD will deliver him from his enemy.
   After all, it is God who knows the way David is to go, to be king and much more. So David confesses his faith God will show him the way out of the cave and into his future. “Set me free from my prison.” He prayed. He wanted to be free not only for his own sake but to praise God’s name. And David wanted to live among the righteous, those who love God and obey his commands. It is good to live with people who worship the Lord.
   David calls on God’s goodness to protect him and deliver him to safety. Only the LORD can do it. And the LORD does it. Through a fascinating confrontation between the two foes, Saul realizes for a time that he is in error. Saul departs in peace. David and his men are safe. God’s promise to David continues to move forward.
   But the hard question comes when we ask, “What if God’s plan is for me to remain in the “cave”? What if the threats to our safety remain? Can we still confess to God, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living?” Can we still praise his name and live among the righteous?
   If we claim, “I have faith in in Jesus Christ.” where else can we go but to God’s promise? David experienced remarkable victories, and he knew great hardships in his pathway to rule Israel. He may have wondered if Samuel’s anointing was real. Still God granted him a faith to pursue his destiny against great odds. He made mistakes, and he did good. His life is as your life, believing God but wondering sometimes where God is when the hard days come.
   In many psalms David expressed his hope and confidence in the LORD. He called on God to defeat his enemies and protect him from their snares. He rejoiced and praised God in his victories. And he wept in his distress. Throughout his life David understood he belonged to the LORD of heaven and earth. Nothing could remove him from that relationship.
   And that’s where your faith must be each day. If there is some dark “cave” holding you hostage, trust God’s promise. He is your refuge and portion in the land of the living. Make it a habit to join with the righteous to praise his name because he anointed you to your destiny in heaven.