Day 22 & 23
2 Samuel
I guess the question of these readings would be the same one we are faced with today:
Is it worth it to win wars on the battlefront, yet lose wars at home?
These readings are about King David's highest achievements, and his lowest failures. His highest achievements being on the battlefield, his lowest failures unfortunately at home.
This book reminds me that success outside the home, cannot come at the expense of the home.
This scripture stood out for me, 2 Samuel 7:22 in David saying, "How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears."
I think that's why I like that scripture so much -- so often I have succeeded on many fronts with autism - yet later realized it came at the expense of not cooking for my family, not taking care of myself, not doing anything but feeding that "autism god" I had allowed to rule 'my kingdom'.
Sure, I was successful, but couldn't it have come at better balance?
I must say yes, it could have. Should have.
I'm glad I realized that when I did, and put things back in perspective. I will save my son from autism, but not all in one day. I realized that I had to let go of a few of those flaming swords I was juggling before they eventually stabbed and burned me.
I had to realize, as hard as it was, that GOD was great. Sovereign. That there could be no other God, except for God.
I had made autism my God and had things all backwards.
That acceptance was liberation. Not defeat.
And it once again allowed my greatest successes to be on the home front, which then spread out to the battlefield called autism.
Which has allowed me to sing my own "Song of Praise" as found in 2 Samuel 22.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation.
He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior -- from violent men you save me.
I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.
The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me.
In my distress I called to the Lord; I called out to my God.
From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears.
The earth trembled and quaked, the foundations of the heavens shook; they trembled because he was angry.
Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it.
He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet.
He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his canopy around him -- the dark rain clouds of the sky.
Out of the brightness of his presence bolts of lightning blazed forth.
The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.
He shot arrows and scattered the enemies, bolts of lightning and routed them.
The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of breath from his nostrils.
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.
He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.
They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support.
He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.
The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I have not done evil by turning from my God.
All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees.
I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin.
The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight.
To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.
You save the humble, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low.
You are my lamp, O Lord; the Lord turns my darkness into light.
With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.
As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless.
He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.
For who is God besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock except our God?
It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights.
He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
You give me your shield of victory; you stoop down to make me great.
You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn.
I pursued my enemies and crushed them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
I crushed them completely, and they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet.
You armed me with strength for battle; you made my adversaries bow at my feet.
You made my enemies turn their backs in flight, and I destroyed my foes.
They cried for help, but there was no one to save them -- to the Lord, but he did not answer.
I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth; I pounded and trampled them like mud in the streets.
You have delivered me from the attacks of my people; you have preserved me as the head of nations.
People I did not know are subject to me, and foreigners come cringing to me; as soon as they hear me, they obey me.
They all lose heart; they come trembling from their strongholds.
The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior!
He is the God who avenges me, who puts the nations under me, who sets me free from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes; from violent men you rescued me.
Therefore I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing praises to your name.
He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever.
Life is a battle.
Autism is a battle.
But if we remain true and obedient to God above all -- we will each have our own "Song of Praise" one day...
Can I have an AMEN and a HOOYAH to that?
