Read Psalm 27.
Who would have thought that David-the shepherd boy who killed a lion and a bear in the open field, the young man who faced down Goliath and killed him, the mighty warrior and general of Israel's armies-struggled with fear?
All of us fight our fears, whether is the reality of things that frighten us, the uncertainty of the future, or our feelings of helplessness. Worry and self-pity can freeze right thinking and paralyze us. Dumping on others about our circumstances often causes us to sound like we are stuck in repeat mode, saying things over and over. Some may become aggressive in their behaviors to fight back in an attempt to mask their fears. None of these approaches will prove to resolve the root issue.
The Psalmist turns our attention to the all-powerful LORD, the One who is truly in charge. What is it about our faith in God that meets our real needs.
1. The LORD is my light.
Our concerns about what might happen, what might be lurking in the dark ahead that we cannot see, is alleviated when someone turns on the light. The things around us become visible and clear. Most of the time we discover that our fears were unfounded. With understanding we can see our way and become confident in taking the next steps.
One of the claims of Jesus was this: "I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)
"Your word is a light to my feet and a light to my path." (Psalm 115:105)
2. The LORD is my salvation.
When the fears are real and must be faced, the believer places their trust in God to deliver them one way or another. This requires faith in God's plans that will bring about good for us and glory to Him. His deliverance is what we seek.
Daniel refused to renounce his faith in God. Darius, king of the Persian Empire, was tricked into executing Daniel by throwing him into a den of lions. It was an impossible situation, but the LORD was Daniel's salvation, or deliverance. In response, the king wrote a decree that all the people of the empire were to "tremble and fear the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed and his dominion shall be to the end. He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions." (Daniel 6:26-27)
3. The LORD is the stronghold of my life.
He is the first place to run when feeling threatened.
"...we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul..." (Hebrews 6:18b-19a)
No comments:
Post a Comment