Passion

O Lord, how many are my foes!

Many are rising against me.

Psalm 3:1

David was fleeing the city. Absalom, his own son, was leading the coup. I cannot imagine the heartbreak a father would feel, hounded out of town by a son spewing venom.

David turned to God. Instinctively. Immediately. Irrepressibly.

Psalm 3 records parts of his praying. The Psalm is laced with passion, fervor, desperateness. For example:

O Lord, how many are my foes!

     Many are rising against me.  (3:1)

But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,

     my glory, and the lifter of my head.  (3:3)

Arise, O Lord!

     Save me, O my God!

For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;

     you break the teeth of the wicked.  (3:7)

Do you feel his agony? Can you hear his honesty? Do you sense his freedom to express his heart to God? "Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God!"

David had passion. David had emotion. David had heart. And he didn't mind showing it. This powerful and fearless warrior-poet, this man's man, had no sense of inhibition with God in prayer. He had no sense that authentic emotion was incompatible with authentic masculinity.

When you are hurting, when you are burdened, when you are overwhelmed, don't hold back! Don't stifle the torrent of emotion inside. Don't tone down your heart-rending feelings. Don't worry about sounding spiritual. Pour your heart out to the Lord! Tell him how you feel. Cry aloud to your God. Passion!