Psalm 20 Trust in God Alone

At a very young age, my mother taught me not only to fear God, but to trust him. She was an excellent model of devotion to God for me. I remember during my times of sickness growing up that my mom would give me my medicine and while she was giving me a spoonful of some yucky syrup, she would say: "In the name of God." She then would follow up saying: "Medicine is great, but we should trust our God."

Today, we enjoy many advances in technology, medicine, weapons, and communications. Our trust should not be in those things, but in God. In the times of David, people looked up to chariots and horses as the latest and greatest in warfare. The might of an army was measured by how many men, chariots, and horses they had. David explains that those things collapse and fall. There is nothing in this world that we can rely on forever. At some point it will be destroyed or replaced with something else.

Those who trust God rise and stand upright! They are able to stand firm throughout this life and the life to come. No matter the circumstances of life, they stand firm because God is their helper and strength. Because God listens to the prayers of his people. Because God fights for his people. Because God sustains the weak and the helpless.

Where is my trust? Is it in my job? Is it in money? Is it in my house? Is it in my family? Is it in retirement? Is it in my health? Is it in education? What is it that I think makes me powerful and secure in this world? Whatever it is, it will not last. I can have it today and lose it tomorrow. God wants me to trust him alone for all things in life. Everything else is just a blessing; a tool that can be used for good works. But my heart should not be confident in any of them. My heart should be confident in God alone for he will be with me forever and no one can take that away from me in this life or the life to come.

Father, teach me to trust in you alone. Help me to give up my trust and confidence in the stuff of this life and bank all my confidence in your promises. Amen.

Psalm 16 Fullness of Joy

Many times, I have sought happiness and joy in all the wrong places. Family, work, human love are only some of them. As much satisfaction and joy family, work, and relationships can bring to one's life they are all temporary, short lived. The birth of a child awakens one to the mystery of life, but it also is a slap in the face to the reality of sickness, suffering, and the frailty of life. The work of one's hands brings great satisfaction after a job well done, but it does not last. Soon enough, one accomplishment calls for another and there is no end to the sequel to relive the joy. Human love is also so imperfect and frail, plagued with betrayal, mistrust, and many disappointments.

Where can I find fullness of joy? A joy that remains even when my circumstances change. A joy that has no end to its supply. A joy that does not depend on my work or lack of it. According to Psalm 16, that joy is found in God alone. David declares: "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you." To have this everlasting joy in my life, I must declare God the Lord of my life. In reality, he is the Lord of my life whether I accept it or not. But God is looking for my surrender to his sovereign rule. Choosing to live as a rebel in God's kingdom is a sure formula for disaster and lack of joy.

Secondly, I must have confidence that God, as the sovereign ruler of my life, is my benefactor, my refuge. He has my best interest in mind. Therefore, I have confidence in him. This confidence brings also contentment in life. David says: "The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places." Using the imagery of the division of the land and plot allotment, he confesses contentment with the portion God has assigned to his life. If I want true joy, I must learn to be content with my portion in life. Some will be rich. Some will be poor. Whatever my lot, I will be content in God.

Thirdly, David says: "I have set the Lord always before me." If one wants to experience true joy, joy everlasting, one must intentionally, and purposefully seek God's counsel and reflect upon that counsel even as one lies in bed at night. God promises to make known "the path of life" that leads to that joy.

Father, help me live my life in submission to your rule. Fill me with thoughts of confidence and contentment in you for the life you have given. Show me the path of life that I may walk in your presence with everlasting joy. Amen.

Psalm 11 Confidence in Crisis

My natural tendency in moments of crisis is to deny it, flee from it, and create a bubble for myself that will make me feel comfortable isolating myself from the people who can counsel me and keep me accountable. I flee like a bird to my own mountain. Is this the way I should behave when there is crisis? Of course not! Even in the face of pain, suffering, and injustice, God wants us to flee to HIS mountain and not ours. He wants us to know that he is still in his holy temple, that he sees what goes on, and that he tests his people through the circumstances of life.

Our confidence in crisis is in a God who is always on his throne ready to hear the plea of his people. Our confidence in crisis is in a God who has given purpose to everything that happens in life, even the most insignificant of events. Our confidence in crisis is in a God who tests his people through those crises to groom and grow our souls for the glory of his name. The Lord is in his holy temple!

Without a doubt, God's holy temple is in the heavens. He is enthroned above all of his creation. In addition to the reality that God is over all his creation, we have the perspective of the new covenant in which we are the holy temple of God. God is enthroned in our hearts and reigns in our individual lives. My confidence is multiplied 100x when I understand that I serve a God who is not only reigning over all creation, but he reigns over my insignificant life every day of my life. I am the holy temple of God!

The promise for those who follow after righteousness, even in the midst of the most intense crisis, is that they will behold God's face - an expression that highlights the intimacy we can have with God in the midst of a crisis. When I feel like I am fainting in a crisis, God wants me to run to his throne and seek his help. Since I am the temple of God, I can do this anywhere at anytime. God promises to allow me to contemplate his being and benefit from the power of his presence. Hallelujah!

Father, may I flee to your throne when crisis strikes my life. May I find you there and behold your face. Amen.