The Ultimate Life Preserver

Psalm 119:88 - "Preserve my life according to your love, and I will obey the statutes of your mouth."

And thus, the eleventh section of Psalm 119 ends. Over the course of the past week, we've read about a King who was worried about his life. His enemies were surround him. His fear was overtaking Him. And, his shelter, his safety, his security, was God.

Now, David recognizes that it's not his enemies who control his fate. It's God. David asks God to preserve his life according to his love.

When I was about ten-years-old, and my family was on summer vacation, I had an experience that would change my life forever. My mom had agreed to purchase me some flippers for my feet. We vacationed at Lake Michigan, and I just though that these flippers were about the most amazing things I had ever seen. I dreamt of being a scuba diver. All week long I'd wear my flippers to the beach, and I spend hours in the waters of Lake Michigan. I was so proud of those flippers.

Toward the end of the week, while I was deep in the water, a seven-year-old girl, became disoriented in the water. She has been in an innertube and had floated out to a spot in the lake that was well over her head. She was a good swimmer, she thought, so she ditched her innertube. And, it was then that she panicked. I saw her flapping her arms and choking on water and all I could think was, "I need to get that innertube and put it back around her." I swam as fast as I could, and in the frenzy lost one of my flippers. I brought her the innertube and she swam back to shore. The people on the beach dubbed me a hero. I just cried. I was crushed. My flipper was gone. I didn't want to be a hero. I wanted to be a scuba diver! Later that afternoon my ten-year-old mind came to grips with what had happened. I had saved that girl's life.

Now I look back on the story, and realize that it wasn't me. I am a lousy swimmer. It was God. God was looking out for that little girl. She would eventually grow up to be a young woman that God would use in marvelous ways. She married a youth pastor and has discipled hundreds of girls throughout the years. God had big plans for her. David knew that his being the King of Israel was nothing in comparison to being the King of Kings. His life was completely in the hands of the ultimate Life Preserver, God. Don't minimize the role that God plays in sustaining your life each and every day. Thank Him for today and ask Him how he wants to use you in His overall plan.

Dear God,

You know how many breaths each of us are going to take in our life. You know the number of hairs on our heads. You know everything about us. You are the Giver and Sustainer of Life. Use us for Your glory.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.