I Love You Lord, My Strength

“I will love You, O Lord, my strength.

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.”

Psalm 18:1-3

The word for love in the above Scripture (Hebrew: racham), according to the note in my Bible, "is used only here in all of the OT for a person’s love for God.  It expresses an especially tender, deep emotion.”  This tender emotion expressed to God by David is linked to a moment of deliverance in his life.  I find that to be encouraging.  The introduction to the Psalm says David "spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.” (emphasis mine)  

Why do we love the Lord?  Yes, we love Him for who He is.  Yet, our love for Him is deepened in the dark trials of our lives.  And when that moment of deliverance final comes, our love for Him is consummated as our hearts overflow with relief and overwhelming gratitude, basking in the faithfulness of God.

It is one thing to love someone because you enjoy their company.  But love is deepened when you walk with them through struggles and trials.  When your love is tested in the fires adversity, your hearts are bonded together in a deeper depth of love. 

I love you Lord because You have been faithful to me.  I love You for who You are, and for all You have done.  You have shown me the depth of Your love in the darkest moments of my life.  When I thought I did not have the strength to carry on, You sent angels, or Your Spirit, to lift me up.  When I was confounded by confusion, You sent a word, a whisper in the night to give me direction.  When I was crushed under the weight of my own failures, You ministered to me deeply.  You restored me.  I love you, O Lord, my strength.