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Photo: Martin Bateman

"God answers my prayers everywhere except on the golf-course."

Billy Graham

Psalm 144

Who is God?

Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge. Psalm 144:2

In two short verses, the Psalmist makes six statements about God. The verses express the greatness of God. I am still contemplating the quotation from the distinguished physicist John Polkinghorne, which I shared recently that in eternity we will experience: “the unending exploration of the reality of God, progressively unveiled”.

What is perhaps most striking in the picture of God’s greatness is that the Psalmist twice calls him “MY God”. The creator and sustainer of everything wants to be in relationship with us.

If you are looking for a sporting application of the Psalm, I know a boxer who loves the phrase “who trains my hands for war”. The reference to training fingers also reminded of an Olympic climber I met who told me she had a finger strengthening coach. So have we!

How to we respond to such promises?

“Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord…I will sing a new song to you, my God”. Verses 15 and 9. Whatever challenges you are facing this week remember who God is and that He is with you. Remember too what a privilege and blessing that is.

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