"I Am Not Afraid" by Stefanie Hendrickson
Psalm 56:1 (0) For the leader. Set to “The Silent Dove in the Distance.” By David; a mikhtam, when the P’lishtim captured him in Gat:2 (1) Show me favor, God;
for people are trampling me down —
all day they fight and press on me.
3 (2) Those who are lying in wait for me
would trample on me all day.
For those fighting against me are many.
Most High, 4 (3) when I am afraid,
I put my trust in you.
5 (4) In God — I praise his word —
in God I trust; I have no fear;
what can human power do to me?
6 (5) All day long they twist my words;
their only thought is to harm me.
7 (6) They gather together and hide themselves,
spying on my movements, hoping to kill me.
8 (7) Because of their crime, they cannot escape;
in anger, God, strike down the peoples.
9 (8) You have kept count of my wanderings;
store my tears in your water-skin —
aren’t they already recorded in your book?
10 (9) Then my enemies will turn back
on the day when I call;
this I know: that God is for me.
11 (10) In God — I praise his word —
in Adonai — I praise his word —
12 (11) in God I trust; I have no fear;
what can mere humans do to me?
13 (12) God, I have made vows to you;
I will fulfill them with thank offerings to you.
14 (13) For you rescued me from death,
you kept my feet from stumbling,
so that I can walk in God’s presence,
in the light of life. (Complete Jewish Bible).
***
Do you remember being afraid of the dark? Were there shadows and strange bumps in the night that made you duck under your covers? The more of yourself that was covered, the more protected you felt from whatever scary that was around you. While we may not be scared at bedtime anymore, adults have their own set of things to be scared of: illness, finances, life changes, loneliness.
The psalmist is being dogged by enemies, problems, the scary things in life. The enemies are “in hot pursuit” and don’t seem to be going away anytime soon (v. 1). Fear is pressing down and life might seem impossible with the endless attacks. This, however, is where trusting God changes everything: what can mortals do to me? (v. 4).
The trust and peace the psalmist experiences isn’t a coincidence. It isn’t something that simply happened because the psalmist believes in God. This trust and lack of fear is the result of intentionally developing a relationship with God each and every day. The Psalmist did not wait until those in pursuit showed up-trusting zgod was already a part of her life. How are you practicing trusting God today?
Hymn for Today: "I Know Whom I Have Believed" by Daniel W. Whittle
1. I know not why God's wondrous grace
to me he hath made known,
nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
redeemed me for his own.
Refrain:
But I know whom I have believed,
and am persuaded that he is able
to keep that which I've committed
unto him against that day.
2. I know not how this saving faith
to me he did impart,
nor how believing in his word
wrought peace within my heart.
Refrain:
But I know whom I have believed,
and am persuaded that he is able
to keep that which I've committed
unto him against that day.
3. I know not how the Spirit moves,
convincing us of sin,
revealing Jesus through the word,
creating faith in him.
Refrain:
But I know whom I have believed,
and am persuaded that he is able
to keep that which I've committed
unto him against that day.
4. I know not when my Lord may come,
at night or noonday fair,
nor if I walk the vale with him,
or meet him in the air.
Refrain:
But I know whom I have believed,
and am persuaded that he is able
to keep that which I've committed
unto him against that day.
Thought for Today: You can be angry, but do not sin!Think about this as you lie in bed,
and calm down. (Selah)
Offer sacrifices rightly,
and put your trust in Adonai. (Psalm 4:5).
Please pray: For the distribution of holiness literature in Mesoamerica .
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