He is the Lifter of My Head

 But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.  Psalm 3:3 ESV

Do you recall a time when you were young and someone you loved, looked up to, adored, took your lowered head and gently raised your chin with their hand?  Your lip may have been quivering, a tear running down your cheek?  That tall person lifted your head until your eyes met theirs.  You see their loving eyes and sense the care and gentleness they have towards you.  Your heart was touched by this one’s protection, love, reassurance, and care for you, just you at that very moment.
Slow down and remember such a moment, such a person as this.  Ponder the memory.  Sense the moment right now.

God, our Father, feels this way about us, and even more so.  God is our Shield.  He encircles us with His strength, His power, and His might.  He defends and protects us in ways we cannot even know.   …: he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues my people under me.  Psalm 144:2 ESV

God is our glory.  He is majestic, deserving reverential love, awe, as we kneel before Him.   In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God.  Psalm 62:7 NKJV  He lifts us up high.  As we stand in Him, let nothing in the world pull us down.  He sent His Son to die for us and nailed our sins to the cross.  Ashamed … we are not to be.  Standing strong in the LORD.  For I live in eager expectation and hope that I will never do anything that causes me shame, but that I will always be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past, and that my life will always honor Christ, whether I live or I die.  Philippians 1:20 NLT

Lifting my head is looking up and seeing the Father’s glory, His reflection, His love.  His confident look is for me.  His touch is gentle and kind.  He created me and knows my potential.  He lifts me up.  Confidence is being built in me through Him.

Lifting my head helps me to see beyond my circumstances.  My head is higher than anything that is not of God.  None of that can control me when my head is lifted.  He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. Psalm 40:2 ESV   I can see above to the heavenly realm.  I can know that God, my Father, lights the skies for my way as I follow Him.  Fears are released and given no power for the LORD is the power.  “Then He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out?”  Matthew 12:11 ESV

 LORD, I pray that each one of us seek You, the Lifter of our heads, our salvation.  You call us to come before Him in thanksgiving and praise.  We bow before the cross and ask for forgiveness, knowing that You have already poured Your grace upon us.  Abba Father, thank You for giving us vision to see beyond our current point in this life, past the pain and suffering whether of ourselves or of those in this world or both.  You know all and You call us to You side, lifting us from the miry clay.  Thank You, Sweet LORD.  We love You dearly.  Amen.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.  James 4:10 NKJV

This study is where my most recent Granola Bar Devotional blossomed.  Psalm 3 melded with my heart as only God can do; from the study, I shortened it and changed it a bit for the devotional.  If you missed that post earlier this week, you can find many devotionals @