When I Am Afraid

Whenever I am afraid I will trust in you. In God whose word I praise. in God I trust. 
I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? 
Psalm 56:3 NIV

Joe was on the board of elders of the small country church we attended, and when the pastor left, Joe was invited to fill that role. Joe had been a steel worker, and didn’t think of himself as a “real pastor” so he asked that we simply call him “Brother Joe.”  In spite of his humble start, Joe knew his Bible well, loved people and trusted God. His statements often included observations from his days of working on the towers, and my favorite was “Any man who tells you he is not afraid is a liar!” I think King David would have not only liked Brother Joe but would have whole heartedly agreed with that statement. When David wrote today’s verse, he had just been captured by the people from the city if Gath. In case that name doesn’t ring a bell, it was the home town of the giant he had killed, named Goliath. Probably in that crowd of soldiers who marched David off as a prisoner were Goliath’s friends and neighbors. They were hoping to see him executed and David really had a perfect excuse to be afraid. It is interesting that David didn’t start by pretending that he wasn’t afraid. Instead, he faced his fears by first accepting them, “When I am afraid!” David said. But what David did next was something most of us forget to do. He chose to trust in God in spite of that fear. If you feel as if circumstances have taken you prisoner, today, it’s okay to join David by just saying out loud, I am afraid!” But then we need to move on to what David said next. “But I will trust in You (God)!”  This isn’t pretending, it is a choice. We are afraid, but we don’t have to stay there. God’s promises are true. He is still in control, and He has us in His mighty hands! – I hope you enjoy this beautiful song from Selah that makes the case for trusting God. Have a blessed day everyone!

Sovereign Over Us

Let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; and let all those who love Your salvation say continually, "Let God be magnified!" Psalm 70:4 NKJV

God is sovereign, in all that we are experiencing, whether we know it or even like it or not. But to truly rejoice and love His salvation, we must say ,”Let God be magnified!” But what can that possibly mean. How can I in any way make the creator of the universe any bigger? The same question might have come to John the Baptist when He baptized Jesus. He continued his ministry even as the crowds that had followed him grew thinner and some of his best disciples began following Jesus. But John came to an amazing conclusion. He must increase, but I must decrease!” This didn’t change John’s circumstances. In fact John was soon arrested by King Herod and put in prison. But even waiting on death row John remained faithful. He accepted his decreasing popularity and freedom, because he knew that as he seemed smaller to others Jesus would be seen as greater. He joined the angels and the faithful of all time as was able to rejoice because God was being magnified! I hope you are as blessed as I was listening to one of my favorite families sing Sovereign over us.

Word Wednesday – Unfolding

The Hebrew root of the word “puthach” translated as unfolding in the NIV means: to open wide, loosen, plough or begin. Whichever of these we apply to this verse, God’s word can only be interpreted to us by God’s Spirit. As Jesus said, “the words I speak to you, are spirit and they are life.” John 6:63. If we want them to be a part of our life today we need to humbly ask Him and then listen with our hearts for His unfolding to give us light.