Towards the end of his life King David described his God as the One who had delivered him ‘out of every trouble’. (1 Kings 1: 29) David certainly knew about trouble. On the run from Saul who was intent on destroying him, enduring sickness and betrayal, as King facing a rebellion led by his son, and all this apart from moral lapses that brought pain to himself and others. But at the end of his life he believed himself ‘delivered.’ This is impressive faith in a sustaining God, a forgiving God, a faithful God. David believed that having gone through the trouble that had fallen to him in life he was still in God’s loving focus and was still receiving blessing from Him. God was still fulfilling His promises to David.
The message from this is one I have needed to hear. Everyone has to live with trouble, the impact on our lives can be deep, but if we are living a life of faith it does not need to define us. David had the promises of God as we do but we also have the Cross and this is our assurance that God is present in every circumstance and able to use our trouble for our good and His glory. That is ‘deliverance‘. The essence of trouble as a source of pain is transformed and becomes a means of blessing.
When writing to the Christians in Corinth Paul referred to an experience he had in the province of Asia. We don’t know what it was but he describes the pressure he and his companions were under: ‘far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.’ (2 Corinthians 1: 8) But he experienced deliverance at two levels. First of all, the crisis passed, the pressure eased. But there was more. On reflection Paul saw God at work in this experience giving Paul an opportunity to exercise faith. He writes: ‘ . . . this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.’ (2 Corinthians 1: 9) So the experience was transformed, no longer entirely negative, Paul delivered not only from painful circumstances but also a memory that may have become a deep shadow on his inner life. He came to understand that God was there and He was working for the good of Paul and his companions. Once more Paul knew the grace of the God ‘who raises the dead’ and brings His transforming power to the most painful trouble even the ultimate trouble of death.
It strikes me that David has given us the words to express our joy and wonder when we have passed through death and found our place in the Eternal Kingdom: ‘The Lord has delivered me out of every trouble.‘ It is then that we will have that insight that Paul craved, no longer puzzled and bitter at the bad hand we have been dealt but grateful for God’s ways with us:
‘Now we see but a poor reflection in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.’ (1 Corinthians 13: 12)
