Confidence Man - Devotion for 7/23/07

Confidence Man – Devotion for 7/23/07

What gives you confidence? I’ve read that clothes can give you confidence, that if you are dressed nicely that you will actually feel better about yourself. I’ve heard that having positive people around you can also help establish your confidence. And I’ve experienced people who like to tear down everyone around them to give themselves confidence. So where do we find confidence?

I read Psalm 44:1-8 this morning, and I am reminded of where our confidence should come from. Verses 4-7 state, “You are my King, O God; Command victories for Jacob. Through You we will push back our adversaries; through your name we will trample down those who rise up against us.. For I will not trust in my bow, Nor will my sword save me. But You have saved us from our adversaries, and You havfe put to shame those who hate us.” I love that part “I will not trust my bow, nor will my sword save me.” It reminds me of many different passages where the Lord’s hand brought the victory. I think of 2 Samuel 17:8, where we are told that fierce forest “devoured more people that day than the sword devoured” as the army of Israel was coming after David following his son Absalom’s revolt. I think of Joshua 10:11 where we are told that “there were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the sons of Israel killed with the sword.” I think of Exodus 14 and the Egyptian army being swallowed up by the Red Sea. I am reminded that we may place confidence that we want in the things of this world, but God is truly that from which our true confidence must come. Proclaim to Him today that He is your King – command victories for Jacob!