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4 Things our Kids and Teens Need to Know from Psalm 57:2 by Pastor Kevin

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Psalm 57 offers us some very useful nuggets of truth that will build us up in our faith and our confidence in God’s love. Teenagers face unique challenges and these promises should become particularly meaningful to them and to parents who are called to love them and shepherd them.

Psalm 57:2 Cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. 

God Is Most High
Teens are often impressed with celebrities and actors and sports heroes. In a strange way they almost find a sense of security in their “larger than life” persona, power and success. Yet, it is God who is most high. This means his power isn’t limited, neither is his wisdom or love or holiness. God will never fail. He will not be a fad that is popular today and then tomorrow, forgotten. God is the God who cannot lose or lie. He is completely holy and we will never find him to be morally corrupt. He will triumph over all of his enemies, no matter how strong or relevant they seem. God is the most high and teenagers need to be constantly reminded of this. 

God Hears Our Prayer
The Psalmist cries out to God, which implies a lot. It implies that God is reachable. It implies that he listens. It implies that God responds. It implies that God cares. This is all the more meaningful when we remember that God is the most high God. Teens can appreciate the scale that is operative when dealing with powerful people. The more powerful they are, the less accessible they are and the less they probably care about you. They spend their time wondering about who they would like to meet and talk to if they ever could. It should impress them all the more that God is the most high God and yet he still invites, cares, listens and responds to our prayers. Anytime they would like to spend time with God, he is more than willing to spend time with them. What God is great like our God who hears our prayers and responds to them? 

God Has A Purpose for Me
We are told that God fulfills his purpose for me. Let’s focus first on the fact that God has a purpose for my life. Teenagers want to know that they matter and that they haven’t been forgotten. Whether or not they have a huge following of friends, one thing is certain, God has a purpose for them. The Psalmist says that God fulfills his purpose for me. Did you catch that? The most high God listens to our prayers and he has a purpose that is custom fit for me. There isn’t a “one size fits all” purpose that God has for all his children that they generically fit into. Nope. The most high God is so intimately acquainted with each of his children that he has a unique and specific purpose for each and every person. Every teen needs to rest assured that God knows them and God has a something in mind for their lives that is unique to them and that it is designed by the infinite love and wisdom of God. 

God Fulfills His Purpose for Me
It may not be very comforting to hear that God has a purpose for me if he doesn’t have the power, will, or wisdom to fulfill it. This passage gives us the assurance that God not only has a purpose for me but we also gain the confidence that God will fulfill it. Confidence is a wonderful thing. Obviously God wants us to know that there is a purpose for my life and that God will execute it. As humans we intend to do a lot of things that we fail to execute. This might make it harder to accept (but more glorious too) that God will not make such a mistake. What does this confidence produce in us? In other words, God wants us to know that he has a purpose that he will bring to pass for us. What should knowing this produce in us? 

Good question. I can think of two things. First, it releases us from being dominated by fear and worry and anxiety that come with the pressure to make something of our lives. Second, it frees us to simply come into fellowship with God and explore his design. Imagine you went on a historical boat that was used in WWII. Would you be able to really enjoy the experience if it were rickety and you were worried about it sinking the whole time? You wouldn’t. When God gives us the confidence that he has a plan and will fulfill it we are released from the burden of striving and freed to simply know God and enjoy his fellowship. 

I encourage you to talk to your teens often and press these four truths into their hearts until they grasp them.  For their joy and His glory. 


Amen

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