Taking Stock After The Battle

Psalm 48:
How great is the Lord, how deserving of praise, in the city of our God, which sits on his holy mountain!  It is high and magnificent; the whole earth rejoices to see it!  Mount Zion, the holy mountain, is the city of the great King!  God himself is in Jerusalem's towers, revealing himself as its defender.
The kings of the earth joined forces and advanced against the city.  But when they saw it, they were stunned; they were terrified and ran away.  They were gripped with terror and writhed in pain like a woman in labor.  You destroyed them like the mighty ships of Tarshish shattered by a powerful east wind.
We had heard of the city's glory, but now we have seen it ourselves--the city of the Lord of Heaven's Armies.  It is the city of our God; he will make it safe forever.
O God, we meditate on your unfailing love as we worship in your Temple.  As your name deserves, O God, you will be praised to the ends of the earth.  Your strong right hand is filled with victory.  Let the people on Mount Zion rejoice.  Let all the towns of Judah be glad because of your justice.
Go, inspect the city of Jerusalem.  Walk around and count the many towers.  Take note of the fortified walls, and tour all the citadels, that you may describe them to future generations.  For that is what God is like.  He is our God forever and ever, and he will guide us until we die.

     This psalm describes a great battle (v.1-8)  in which the Holy City of God, Jerusalem, is being attacked by the kings of the earth, who have joined forces against the city.  In these verses, it also tells of God's victory over them--the kings did not even get the chance to attack.  They saw the city and were stunned.  They were terrified and ran away.  They were gripped with terror and writhing in pain like a woman in labor (v.5-6).  All this simply at the SIGHT of the city.  Awesome.  It goes on to describe how God destroyed them--like the mighty ships of Tarshish shattered by a powerful east wind (v.7). 
     This psalm is one from the descendants of Korah.  They had heard of the city's glory and then finally saw it (v.8).  They continue--It is the city of our God; he will make it safe forever.  Verses 9-14 are giving God praise for his mighty power and love for the city. 
      Like any good general, God is taking stock of the condition of things after the battle in verses 12-14.  How many times have we gone through a battle in our lives just to simply move on to the next without taking the time to "count the many towers, take note of the fortified walls and tour our citadels".  That is exactly what God did here after the battle, why shouldn't we after we have come through one of life's battles?  Just as God did, so should we describe "our city" to future generations.  In other words, share what you have been through with others so that by sharing you can fortify one another, making each other stronger simply by the telling of things.  I have always heard that if you don't learn from the past you are bound to repeat it.  By sharing your struggles with others, you keep them from repeating the things you have already overcome.

Challenge for the Day:
Take stock after your recent life's battle and share it with someone so that future generations may know and by knowing become stronger.

Power Verses:
Psalm 49:14
For that is what God is like.  He is our God forever and ever, and he will guide us until we die.

Hebrews 12:12-13
So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees.  Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.