Welcome to Kendra Graham’s Online Bible Study! This is a place where we can come together and share in our journey towards Scriptural truths and spiritual maturity. We pray this will be a safe, respectful, resourceful place to come and discuss God’s Word…to discover What it says…What it means…and What it means to you!
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Kendra Graham notes from Psalm 62:2:
“He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.”
THE FACTS: My stronghold. I shall not be greatly shaken.
THE LESSONS:
When I read this verse, the portion that stood out to me was, “My stronghold.” A stronghold is something that has an overwhelming grip in a person’s life. We all have strongholds in our lives, and if asked, we can probably name a few without having to think too hard: shopping, eating, gaming, surfing the internet, exercising, toxic relationships, drugs (illegal and prescription), smoking, alcohol, TV, iPad/iPhone, money, work… one day we wake up and realize that our thoughts, actions and days are obsessed with certain things…. these things have a stronghold on us…. some good, some bad. It seems to me though, that the bad things seems to reach their tentacles in deeper, farther and faster than the good things.
Here in Psalm 62, David is saying that God is his personal stronghold. David won’t be shaken, because the Eternal God is his refuge, the place he runs to hide…. if you are like me, I tend to run to places like denial or the couch to take a nap and pretend like everything is fine, first, and then I will call a friend or two and tell of the injustice that has come my way and who is to blame. After I am done shaking my fist and raising my voice, I will then come up with a creative solution, instead of patiently and quietly enduring, focused on God’s Word trusting that He’s got this. God and His Word tend NOT to be our stronghold and refuge, but our last resort.
What I also like about this verse is that David says not only is God His stronghold but that, “I shall not be greatly shaken.” David is not in denial about the fact that he is human, and that there are going to be those moments when you receive that phone call that devastates you, or receive that diagnosis, or have that meeting with your employer that crushes your spirit into a million pieces, or that circumstance that cruelly enters your life without rhyme or reason and literally shakes you and sends your life, heart and mind whirling. There are things in this life that will shake us to the core and David’s life is not a life of exception to that. Life events will happen and David will wobble, David will stress, David will be concerned, and I like that.
Sometimes we look at these awesome pillars of faith in the Bible, and we think they are superhuman–we rationalize, “Well, I’m not David… it was easier for David, because he was a man after God’s own heart.” We give ourselves an out, because God must have been more visible to David than He is to me in the moment. That is not true. God was visible to David because David made a choice to make God his stronghold, to make God’s Word the place he ran to first, not last. David, on purpose, set his heart and his mind to believe regardless of external factors! David repeated to himself in and in his personal journal of thoughts that God is who God claims to be in His Word, and David would tell himself over and over again, saturating himself with #Truth, because being shaken, well that is just a fact of life. God is his rock and his salvation, not anything or anyone else.
We will be shaken by life. Where you and I run to matters. You are not alone. You have not been set out to dry. You and I have a place of refuge, a place of safety, a place to run and be protected and that is in the arms of God who loves you and I so much He came personally, in the form of a man, not trusting us to any other, so that He could be our personal stronghold. Gird yourself on purpose in the strength of God’s Word.
APPLY IT:
How have you been shaken? Where have you run to in order to find solace, peace and strength to face the storm of uncertainty? What can be described as the stronghold in your life? Is it the Word of God?
LIVE IT OUT:
Today…. life is hard…. uncertain…. certain elements are crushing… LORD, be my stronghold. Strengthen me according to Your Word and Your unchanging character. Help me to deliberately place my trust in You. Give me a testimony of Your refuge and protection.
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What Scripture are you studying now? What have you learned? How has the Lord spoke to you? Share with us in the comments section.
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