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.
Some are frighten by the reality of things present, others by the
uncertainty of the future, or by our feelings of helplessness. Worry and self-pity can freeze right thinking
and paralyze us. Unloading our emotions
on other people 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 lamp to my feet and a light to my
path." (Psalm 119:105)
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 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)
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