December 28, 2023 -- Psalm 91:1-2 -- My God, in Whom I Trust
/People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
Psalm 91:1-2 ESV
Beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ, what a testimony this psalm-writer is giving. Verses 1 and 2 are his testimony and then verses 3 - 13 are instruction on God’s protecting power and grace to all who are in need. The psalm-writer has already found the LORD to be his refuge and fortress and he trusts in Him. What a glorious statement.
It is one thing to trust God when everything is going well, but what about the times when your finances are crashing? Or your adult children are rebelling against you? Or your marriage is in the crapper? Or your church family is at odds with you and fighting? Or you are sincere in your faith and it is costing you at work? Or you are finally clean from your addictions and now you are facing the very things that threw you to the wolves of your addiction in the first place? Or you are facing persecution for your devotion to Jesus?
The point being made in the rest of Psalm 91 is not that God will rescue you out of all your troubles and set you in the lap of luxury with no problems or troubles. The point is when life is throwing its worst at you, God is big enough, near enough, loving enough, and more than able to strengthen you by His Spirit so that your life will be firmly anchored on Jesus Christ. No power, no force, nor any circumstances will be able to rip you out of His gracious care. In fact, as you endure with confident trust in Jesus, your life will be a glowing testimony to Who He really Is.
How you endure these difficulties and trials is itself a witness to the protection and refuge of God. Your life, however long or short, has one purpose: to glorify God and delight in Him forever. As you walk in this way, the people around you see that the LORD God Almighty is not merely a talisman for good luck. Instead, He is my God, in Whom is ALL my trust.
Our Father in heaven hallowed be Your Name. Thank You for the wonderful gift of Jesus Christ, Who is Immanuel—God with us. Spirit of the Living God, thank You that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is given us in Christ. Triune God, give us eyes to see the great salvation work You are effecting in us, using even the hardest circumstances we experience as the anvil and forging hammer to shape us for Your holy purposes. Teach us, O God Most High, to pray as we are learning to trust You ever more fully in all circumstances. This we pray in Jesus’ Name and for the glory of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Amen
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