To The End

“Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.” (Ps 30:11-12 AV)

There is a greater purpose for deliverance than to relieve our troubles.  Although that may be the primary reason for praying to that end, it is not the purpose for relief.  One of the primary reasons of relief from our problems is that we might praise the LORD and serve Him faithfully.  Most of the time, when the LORD takes our troubles away, we almost immediately forget the very God who saved us.  This is the whole record of the book of Judges.

Over the past few years, I have suffered from a malady.  One that many suffer from.  After some research, the LORD led me to a supplement that miraculously overcame this problem.  To me, it was a miracle drug.  Not a prescription.  Rather, a natural supplement that met every problem of which I suffered.  When I meet people with the same issue, I immediately extol the virtues of this supplement.  It made that dramatic of a change in my health.  Better than any prescription a doctor has ever sent my way.  What a wonder!  One wonders if we would do the same for the LORD?  When He turns our troubles to blessings and relief, why do not we let all know what the LORD has done?  That is the purpose.  When we trusted Christ as our Savior, we told everyone we knew.  Over time, because of rejection after rejection, we have ceased to express what the LORD has done for us!  Why?  That is a reason why the LORD saved us!

David knew that God took care of Saul on his behalf.  God took away all the hindrances for David to serve a King.  God did not take away Saul and the Philistines so that David could sit in his palace and relax.  He did not take away the thorns in his side so that he could take a few extra days off from public worship.  God saved David to the end that he might praise and serve the LORD.  We are not consumers.  We are servants.  God is not here for us.  We are here for God.