It doesn't take much after listening to the news to feel unsettled. There are dangers all around us, and people are constantly getting hurt - someone somewhere - and you have to wonder, "Am I next?" "Will I be at the wrong place at the wrong time?" Fear can overshadow us if we dwell on the potential car accidents, loss of loved ones, robberies, murders, and tragedies that may be lurking right around the corner.
There are less severe situations that are still painful. How about someone lying about you? The Bible calls that a false witness. Reputations can be ruined based on someone's false report. What about a mistake you've made? A sin you've committed? A lifestyle you have adopted that you find difficult to get out of? Some bad associations that you find difficult to depart from?
King David had regrets, tragedies, false witnesses, fears, etc., to the point he was running for his life from a delusional king who wanted his head! He felt forsaken. In Psalm 27:10, he said, "When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up." Isn't that precious? Have you ever felt forsaken by anyone you love that you feel should have been supporting you?
In Psalm 27:1: "The Lord is the light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" In verse 5: "For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock." Then he says that his head shall be lifted up above his enemies, so therefore he will offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy, and will sing praises unto the Lord. Isn't singing praises to God a great thing to do during our trials? Have some faith, envision a positive outcome, and already start thanking and praising the Lord for what He's going to do in your life. We need to seek Him; He will take us up. What is this tabernacle where he is making sacrifices of joy? The verse above says, "in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me." Having that closeness to God through prayer and Bible reading, even being in church, the house of God, is a great place to be, especially when we don't feel like it. It's a beautiful thing!
In Psalm 27:12-13 David prayed: "Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living." Do you ever feel like fainting under the pressure of life? So did King David. But he also saw the goodness of the Lord among life that we see all around us. He brings life. You know what he said next?
"Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." That's the message to us. Seems strange to me. Why this talk about waiting? It seems to me he is in a bad predicament, he has danger all around him, and yet he says to be of good courage and that peace from having faith in God will strengthen our hearts. He's an active God, but He's an on-time God. Things will work out according to His will, which by the way, will always be the best for us and the situation, in His timing. We cannot even begin to understand why commercial planes get shot down, why evil prevails at times, but we can know that in spite of the evil all around us, there is a refuge, a hiding place in God. He has allowed evil to have some freedom for a time...but only for a time. When there is a storm, seek that refuge that will keep you safe. Damage and harm may come to you, as there are no guarantees of a perfect life. These things are used by God to mold and make us into beautiful vessels of honor. Without the fears and the hurts, we can't know the peace and the comforts.
Holding onto an all-powerful, all-wise, all-loving God is not a sign of weakness....but of wisdom, don't you think? If I was in a flood, I would not think I was being "uncool" or "foolish" for finding a solid something to grab onto for dear life! That's using your head!
Praise the Lord today for God's provisions and care, peace in the midst of this crazy, unsettling world we live in, filled with imperfect people, imperfect lives, but equipped with a loving, caring God who cares about and strengthens you and me through it all, if we just turn to Him for that help.
How easy is that too, to turn to God for our help, but so many turn to other things and other people for their help. Very good Dawn, enjoyed this a lot. :)
ReplyDeleteVery true! Thanks so much for the comment.
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