Spiritual Single-Mindedness

I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD;
I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only. – Psalm 71:16

Psalm 71 is all about trusting the Lord, and seeing that in Him we have a strong foundation for our lives.  Even amid peril and distress there is a reason for hope.  Many of the psalms are heartfelt cries to God for help; sometimes for safety from ones enemies, sometimes for encouragement, and at other times for strength to support us in our weakness.

God wants us to depend upon Him.  For sure, there are many areas of life where we are required to put in effort, like at work, or at school, or “at home,” in the case of that unsung hero of our times, the housewife.  But even in the midst of those various responsibilities God wants us to lean on Him.

The role of dependence is especially important in the spiritual life; that is, for our inner selves, our minds and our hearts.  “Keep your heart with all diligence” we are told, “for out of it spring the issues of life.” (Prov. 4:23).  A heart that has not taken some time to make God central in the morning, will be liable to fret once the pressures of the day gather steam.  A mind that has not quieted itself with God’s Word and with the knowledge of His presence, is likely to become disquieted with the list of items which begin clamoring for attention.

Here in this text the Psalmist acknowledges where his strength comes from.  He has to go forward into the day, but he goes “in the strength of the Lord God.”  His mouth must utter many words, but the righteousness of the God Who upholds him will find expression too.  And the acknowledgement of God, gives witness to and reinforcement of the strength which is graciously given by Him to those who seek Him.

Because what is going on inside can affect the way I relate to my job, or to others, or how I hear the news, or indeed how I frame my attitudes for the whole day, it is imperative that I throw off the reluctance to pray and to meditate on the Scripture, and take at least five or ten minutes to seek “the strength of my life” (Psa. 27:1).