March 30 – Exulting in Our Rejoicing

“But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you.”  - Psalm 5:11 (ESV)

The words of the verse we take up for consideration today may well be an instruction as much as it is a promise.  Those who take refuge in the LORD are those who rejoice, sing for joy.  There is really much true joy for those who do not reject God. Singing for joy is the instruction and then the promise is God spreading His protection over them.  Are we among those who take refuge in the LORD?  We think correctly that we are if we have come to God in an attitude of repentance seeking forgiveness and salvation.  That is the refuge we receive when we come to the LORD.  The result of taking this refuge is naturally to rejoice for our hearts and lives are filled with peace and joy and assurance that God has covered us with His protection from evil.  We begin to love His name and grow in that love as we meditate and learn from His word.  It is us, the ones who love the name of the LORD that exult in God.  Exulting is the act of rejoicing – being so joyful that it bubbles out.  

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August 2 – Perfect Shield

“As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.”  Psalm 18:30 (NIV)

The songs or psalms that we have in our Bible were often written to express what the writers had experienced in trusting God.  Today's verse is like that.  When David wrote this song he had passed through a very trying period of his life. His experience had proved to him that God does everything right.  That is why David used the words perfect and flawless to describe what God had done for him.  We notice that David thought of God as a shield. Let's remember how a shield is used.  It is used between a person and some threatening danger, and that is how our Lord protects us each day.  Let's trust the Lord to be close to us, closer than the things which bother us.  If He is that close He'll be between us and our problems and will truly protect us as He did so for David. That is our promise to remember – that our Lord is our shield, our perfect shield in this world today. 

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February 24 – Oneness Together

“I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.” John 17:9  (ESV)  
“Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.” John 17:11B  (ESV)

The Bible tells us that Jesus the Son of God is praying to His Father about us. These verses are part of a prayer that Jesus prayed for his disciples and can give us an idea what He might be praying about for us. We believe that Jesus is praying for you and me today and every day, if we are His followers. He will pray for us because he loves us and just as he prayed for his disciples whom he loved as well. Jesus is praying for God protection over us in our daily lives. He reminds His Father that we belong to Him and that the Father had given us to the Son. He wants us to be partakers of the divine nature. He prays that the Father will keep us in His name and Jesus lays claim on us. He wants us to enjoy the oneness together in the same way that the Father and the Son enjoy oneness.  That is a marvelous promise that needs some thinking about. Let's carry this promise with us today and consider what it means to each of us.

January 8

“The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” Proverbs 18:10 (NIV)

These words were, of course, written during days when towers were places of protection. When danger threatened, people would think of a tower as a place of safety. We are reminded in this verse that we can think of the name of our Lord as a place of safety. The name of the Lord is not just a name by itself. It represents who God is and all he has promised. If we face problems which are more than we can handle and we call on the name of the Lord we are actually entrusting ourselves to His care. And that is like seeking protection in a military tower, is it not?. That is why the writer of this Proverb made this comparison. Let us run to wherever the Lord is for help when we need it and we will find a place of safety.

September 18

“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.” Psalm 5:11 (NIV)

It is so good to know that our God takes care of those who seek His help. Here we have two expressions which are similar, speaking of the thing from two different perspectives. We are reminded that we can seek refuge in the Lord. We notice that when we do that God responds by spreading His protection over us. We are promised that when we trust the Lord, He actively responds. In both cases the result is joy and gladness. When we recognize that we are safe, that brings joy. Let us seek refuge in Him.

August 28

“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.” Psalm 5:11 (NIV)

There is a joy which comes from trusting in the Lord. The songwriter, David, experienced this and he longed that others might also know this joy. It is true that those who take refuge in the Lord will find that He spreads a protection over them. It is not like an inanimate refuge, like a cave or a fortress. God actually acts to protect us when we come to Him for refuge. We need to be aware of this action by the Lord. When we seek His protection from trouble, discouragement, temptation, He personally acts on our behalf. Is it not good reason to rejoice?

July 25

“As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.”  Psalm 18:30 (NIV)

Many of David’s songs were composed during times of stress. Psalm 18 was written after a stressful time when the pressure was off. Shields were of course used in days when warfare was carried on with arrows, spears, and swords. A person behind a shield would be protected from the missiles coming from the enemy.  David had found that kind of spiritual protection by trusting in the Lord his God. There are arrows flying in our direction, too, arrows of doubt, discouragement, and loneliness. How can we be protected from such arrows? By trusting in the Lord. He, Himself will protect us.