Don’t Forget Who Fixed The Brakes

Jun 9, 2022

David writes Psalm 34 after narrowly escaping the hands of Abimelech by pretending to be insane.

Imagine the relief he feels as a crazy ploy somehow manages to save his life. David immediately turns to gratitude to God.

I will extol the Lord at all times;

his praise will always be on my lips.

I will glory in the Lord;

let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

Taste and see that the Lord is good;

blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

Fear the Lord, you his holy people,

for those who fear him lack nothing.

- Psalm 34:1-2, 8-9

Have you ever felt that kind of relief? Impending doom - whether real or imagined - seemed closer than ever, and you escaped its grips. It was a hot day in the first month of my college career when I finally took my 1993 Toyota Camry into the shop. I’d been ignoring an incessant screeching noise, hoping that blasting my music loud enough would just make the sound go away. It didn’t - and, as you might have guessed, I owed the shop $800 for new brakes.

To a poor 18-year-old college student, this news felt life-ending. An unplanned $800 expense had me in tears, terrified for the future of my already dry bank account. I remember calling my parents frantically, realizing I would have to take a large chunk of my savings, and fretting about financial stability (and how I would pay for our nightly Wendy’s runs). A few moments after our phone call, my phone pinged with a Venmo money transfer notification - my dad had sent me the exact amount I needed with the following message: “Something to help out my little girl - it’s all going to be okay!”

Instant relief and disbelief filled my heart as I realized what my dad had done. I called him back, moved with gratitude! “I can’t accept this! How will I ever pay you back?” My dad told me what most fathers would: “You don’t need to! I love you!”

Looking back now, that simple act of generosity will never be forgotten. My dad made me feel so loved, seen, and RESCUED from the dread that my old car put me in.

I learned that my dad would always be there to rescue me, whether I deserved it or not, whether it was my fault for ignoring a screeching sound or not - his love met me where I was at.

And while love certainly isn’t just shown through financial ability, this story wasn’t memorable because of the money. It was about his willingness to drop anything to show up for his daughter.

I wonder if this is how David felt. The stakes were much higher than an $800 expense. His life was in danger, and he didn’t know what else to do. In tears, he made a last-ditch effort, and God rescued him, and he narrowly escaped the clutches of his enemies. David didn’t deserve it. David couldn’t pay it back. But his Father showed up because He loved him.

God the Father shows up for you and me every single day.

The saving blood of Christ rescues us from the grips of sin and death. In a broken world, even though we don’t deserve it, our Father rescues us every time. We are filled with relief. We are met with joy. We are moved towards gratitude. Just like David in Psalm 34, we must rejoice and praise, reminding ourselves of what God has done for us on a daily basis.

Psalm 34 is structured as an acrostic. Each verse begins with another letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Theologians suggest that the purpose of this format is used as a device to encourage memorization. This psalm of praise is one God’s people should know by heart. We must memorize our praises of God’s goodness so we will never forget that deep feeling of relief when we know our Father the rescuer.

It’s easy in this dark world to complain, be discouraged, and get lost in negativity. Let’s memorize Psalm 34. Let’s remind ourselves of our own life examples of God showing up.