April 25 – Trusting Our Fortress

“I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!”  For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper And from the deadly pestilence.”  -Psalm 91:2-3  (NASB)

We believe it appropriate to describe what we have been experiencing in this world this past 3-5 months as a “deadly pestilence.” Synonyms include 'epidemic', 'virus', 'pandemic'; words which have been a major part of our news.  Psalm 91 describes God’s ongoing sovereign protection of His people from the ever-present dangers and terrors which surround humanity. That pretty much fits what we all have been facing and many who have faced this pandemic have actually never had such an experience in their lives.  Here today, we who have been adopted into God’s family by belief in Jesus Christ, can take heart in this promise.  God is our fortress.  God delivers us from the trapper’s trap. God delivers us from this deadly pestilence.  The psalmist confirms his trust in God.  We too can confirm our trust in God.  When the circumstances, the news and the predictions have been most frightening, we confess God to be our refuge, our fortress.  This is not a promise that none who believe have been afflicted even to the point of death.  This is a promise that even through sickness and death, those who believe have already been rescued from the consequences of death. 

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February 12 – Worried About Afflictions

“The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.”  -  Psalm 34:19 (NASB)

Have you ever been so troubled or sorrowful that you leaned on the well know spiritual by Mahalia Jackson? “Nobody knows the trouble I've seen Nobody knows but He knows my sorrow. … Nobody knows the trouble I've seen Well, no, nobody knows but Jesus.”   Perhaps, or not, we know these words well but we certainly have a promise today from a song by David which should give us comfort when we are deep in trouble.  As we experience many troubles, we are promised delivery from them all by the Lord.  And if the trouble threatens our bodies, we can know that the Lord will protect us. Protection of all our bones is a means of saying He keeps our physical well-being.  Our bones are the structure of our bodies and our bodies might well be threatened by troubles from time to time.  Seeking God when we need His help will bring us needed deliverance from afflictions of many kind.  Every verse in this Psalm underscores how God cares for His own when the take refuge in Him. 

Next: Worrying about suffering for Jesus

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August 5

“He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.” Psalm 18:16 (NIV)

This is a quote from another of David’s songs written after he was delivered from those who had tried to kill him. These words are like a picture of what God does for His children. He is in heaven. He is ruling over the whole of His creation. But although He is a great God, He is concerned about His children and He does watch over us. Although He is in heaven He does get involved with our situations. He reaches down from on high. And He does deliver us when we trust Him. He gets personally involved with us. David’s God is our God.