To the Point . . . The Word Is Without Error, Is Inspired by God, Is Relevant for Today, and Is to Be Used Devotionally I really enjoy starting each morning with quiet meditation upon the word. Right now I am going through the book of Psalms. On Tuesday morning of this week it was time to read Psalm 13. Psalm 13 was written by King David of Israel. "A man after God's own heart." In I Samuel 13, Samuel said that God was looking for this kind of man. In Acts 13, Paul reiterated that God said he found David to be "... a man after my own heart..." How can this be? How can God say that David was a man after his heart? David committed adultery and then murdered a man to cover it up! David was not just an adulterer and a murderer but he also suffered from bouts of depression. He was melancholic! Just look at Psalm 13. In verses one and two David cried out, "How long? How long? Will you forget me forever? Will you hide your face from me? Must I wrestle with my thoughts? Everyday have sorrow in my heart? Will my enemies triumph over me?" David was melancholic. David was depressed. How could God use such a man? How could God say David was a man after his heart? There is one thing we notice in Scripture. And the Scriptures are accurate, inspired, relevant and to be taken personally by us today. We notice that in spite of David's adultery, murder or dysfunction, he always cried out to God in humility, brokenness and repentance. He always turned to God in his trials. That's what God was looking for. That's a man after God's own heart. One who utterly trusts in God, in everything. Look again at Psalm 13. After the first four verses of brooding in depression, David cried out in verse five, " But I trust in your unfailing love. My heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord..." Then David focused upon the Lord. He said, "...he has been good to me." This is what made David a man after God's heart. In spite of his past sins and in the middle of his present depression, David chose to trust in God's love. He chose to rejoice in his salvation. He chose to sing. And he focused on the positive fact that God had been good to him. Today, I claim this passage for myself. In spite of my sometime depression or low self esteem and in spite of my failures, I too chose to trust, to rejoice, to sing and to reflect upon God's goodness to me. What about you? Are you finding the Word to be accurate? Inspired? Relevant? And personally applicable? I commend the Word to you! Stan Shirk EAF Board Member Associate Pastor, Cornerstone Church, Harrisonburg, VA Got a To the Point... response or additional comment? We would like to read it! Please tell us by signing our guestbook. Thanks! Send this article to a friend! Your email address: Their email address: Note to them: optional       Home | About | Contact | Previous Views | Guestbook | Newsletter © 1999 Evangelical Anabaptist Fellowship