Why Should I Fear?

"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Ps. 27:1, ESV).

This Scripture is worthy of meditation (of course, all Scripture is worthy of meditation).  This verse reminds us of the source of our courage.  We are not to find solace in our own strength, because our strength is insufficient for the calling to which God has called us in Christ Jesus.  We need a greater strength than what we possess.

David reminds us that the Lord is our light.  He is the ray of hope that pierces the darkness of our night and drives the shadows of doubt away.  The Lord illuminates our mind through the Spirit applying God's Word to our life.  As he enlightens us, we see the dangers of sin so that we can turn away from them.  The Lord shows us the path that leads to life.

The Lord is our salvation.  He has delivered us from sin and death.  He has rescued us from ourselves.  He has paid the penalty of our sin on the cross, and bore our shame.  The Lord saves us to the uttermost.  By his grace, through faith in Christ, we are no longer objects of wrath, but the objects of his love and compassion.

The Lord is our stronghold.  He is the fortress into which we run when the minions of Satan lay siege to our life.  He is the shelter in which we rest as the storms of life rage overhead.  He is our stronghold.  The Lord is fortress that cannot be broken into.

As David allows these images to swirl in his mind he comes to one ultimate conclusion: I have no reason to fear anyone.  Why should we fear when the Lord is for us.  If Christ is for us, who can be against us.  The reality is that all the world may be against us, but as long as Christ is for us the world will not overcome us in any ultimate or final sense.

Your righteousness doesn't depend on you.  It depends on the righteous payment of Jesus, who died in your place.  Your success doesn't depend on you.  It depends on the God who works mightily through you by his Spirit. As you seek to obey him, remember that man can do nothing to you that God does not allow.  He will uphold you and preserve you.  Don't be afraid, only obey him.

The Unquestionable Faithfulness of God

"When you can't see God's hand, trust his heart."

I saw a story about an adoptive family that was about to travel to Haiti this week to pick up their daughter only to discover that she died yesterday in the earthquake.  My heart goes out to this family.  Although I do not know the particulars of their situation, I imagine their sense of loss must be great.  Most parents allow themselves to ponder the futures of their children.  They wonder about things like broken bones, school, relationships, careers, and the like.  When coupled with the anticipation of the arrival date, this pondering produces an anxious joy.

However, the anxious joy fades to sorrow when dreams are laid to rest along side of a child.  Unless we are anchored in the Lord, sorrow can become a miry bog of despondency which saps the very life from us.  It is like that scene in The NeverEnding Story  where Atreyu loses his horse Artax in the Swamp of Sadness.  Overcome by despair, the horse refuses to move and sinks into the swamp. The key to overcoming despair is to prayerfully fighting against it.

It is easy to look at the devastation in Haiti and the loss of this young girl, and say, "Where was God in all of this?"  But the question demonstrates our inability to comprehend the ways of God.  Who are we to question God?  Even if he felt compelled to explain his actions to us, what makes us think we could comprehend them?  No, it is better to return to what we know.  We know God is righteous, holy, just, sovereign, love, all knowing, all powerful, and all wise.  He know that he has a purpose for all he decrees and all he permits.  We know that all his decisions are right and true; they are exactly what they should be.

Now is not the time to question our only Source of hope.  Now is the time to confess the limits of our strength,  our knowledge, and our faith.  Now is the time to cry out for mercy--mercy for us, mercy for this family, and mercy for Haiti.  Now is the time to put faith into action.  If you are interested in giving to help Haiti there are many reputable outlets through which you can give.  The International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention recommends going through Baptist Global Response.  One hundred percent (100%) of money given through Baptist Global Response goes to combat hunger.  We need to continue to prayer for this family that lost their daughter, and for the thousands of Haitians who have lost family as well.

God's faithfulness cannot be taxed.  It is not measured by a lack of suffering, a lack of pleasant weather, or a lack of difficulty.  God's faithfulness is measured by the depth of suffering Jesus endured upon the cross.  It is measured in the power the Father exerted when he raised Jesus from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenlies.  It is measured by the work of the Spirit as he brings new birth in the hearts of God's people.  Let us, in full confidence of God's faithfulness, rise up in the face of such tragedy and proclaim the glory of God to the nations.