Psalm 3:3-4 (MSG): His answers thunder from the holy mountain

Psalm 3:3-4 (The Message)

A David Psalm, When He Escaped for His Life from Absalom, His Son

^3-4But you, GOD shield me on all sides;
You ground my feet, you lift my head high;
With all my might I shout up to GOD,
His answers thunder from the holy mountain.

When I see this, I see David demonstrating steps 2 and 3 of the 12 steps.

Step 2, came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.  This, to me, is reflected in, "you, God shield me on all sides."  As addicts we know, too, that God is that greater Power, which protects us from the insanity of addiction.  Like David, we addicts are inundated by enemies - some external, some internal.  Our lives out of control.  Then something happens and we come to believe, or more appropriately come to realize, that God does protect us and shields us on all sides.

Step 3, Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God, as we understood Him.  This for me, is David's act of "With all my might I shout up to God."  Step 3, in order to be effective, needs to be in total commitment.  You need to be willing to shout to God with all your might - just as David shows us here.  With all of our might, all of our will.

And God's response to our faith and devotion?  "His answers thunder from the holy mountain."  For the addict, God responds by starting the recovery process.  We get to know a new freedom and a new happiness.  As the AA promises recite (not at verbatim or in its entirety), "We come to understand the word serenity and know peace.  No matter how extreme our addiction, we realize that our experience and our story can help others.  The feelings of uselessness and self-pity disappear.  Our attitude and outlook change such that we can intuitively handle situations that used to baffle us.  Until we finally realize God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves."  This is what Gods response, sounds and looks...no, this is what God's response feels like.

Dear God, thank you for your response.  Thank you for thundering answer from the mountain.  Thank you for doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.  Thank you for protecting us on all sides.  Thank you for grounding our feet and lifting our heads.  For without you, we would not know peace.  We ask that you continue to be with us and protect us.  We beg that you continue to guide us to be committed to your will for our lives that we will be able to live in this peace always.  Help us share this message to those who are in need of your protection and guidance.  Help us be open to opportunities to serve you and your people.  Help us show the light of your word and your love.  Amen.

Thanks for letting me share.