May 13

Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers; say to my soul: “I am your salvation.” — Ps 35:3 BSB

To keep water fresh, it must continually flow. In the same way, to keep the life of God active in the soul, there must be constant spiritual exercises. This is why the Lord’s people face so many conflicts, trials, painful experiences, sorrows, and temptations—to keep them alive unto God. These difficulties pull them out of a state of spiritual laziness and prevent them from falling into a dangerous sense of false security, like a sailor asleep at the top of a mast, unaware of the raging waters below. The Lord "tries the righteous." He will not let His people settle into complacency or comfort in Zion, content with a dead assurance, much like Moab’s complacency. To prevent this, He sends afflictions, trials, and tribulations, allowing Satan to tempt and harass them.

In these moments, the Holy Spirit raises in them a deep cry: “Say unto my soul, I am your salvation.” Only You, Lord, can save me; only Your voice can bring peace to my conscience; only Your blood can remove the guilt that weighs heavily on my heart; only Your love, poured into my soul by the Holy Spirit, can bring me true joy.