READING: Psalms 56, 120, 140-142
“I cry to you, Lord; I say, ‘You are my shelter, my portion in the land of the living.’”
Psalm 142:5
David may have written Psalm 56 in a time when he was threatened by the Philistines. Regardless of the background, though, it’s evident the psalmist felt some sense of fear, but he made the deliberate choice to trust God anyway. He would not fear, for what could man do to him if God were for him? God was well aware of all the psalmist faced, and none of his sufferings escaped His view. Not a tear would fall from his eyes that God would not take note of. The psalmist’s enemies would not win, for God was on the side of the psalmist: “Then my enemies will retreat on the day when I call. This I know: God is for me” (Psa. 56:9).
How much do we know for certain simply because we know that God is on our side? We know that God works all things together for good for those who love Him. He forgives our sin and drops it to the bottom of the ocean. He has already disarmed the powers that battle against us. He will never leave us nor forsake us. He meets all of our needs. He has given us eternal life, and nobody can pluck us from His hand. He will reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
These thoughts, of course, are just a starting point. There is much we can count on because God is with us and for us. Our problem is that we too often forget these truths when the circumstances we face seem overwhelming. We need to remember to cry out to the Lord and trust that He hears.
ACTION STEPS:
- Cry out the Lord with whatever you face today.
- Thank God that He is with you.
PRAYER: “God, I praise You. Thank You for being with me.”
TOMORROW’S READING: 1 Samuel 25-27; Psalms 17, 73