Psalm 91: My Refuge and My God

Today’s reading is Psalm 91.

Last week’s psalm claimed, “Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations” (Psalm 90:1, ESV). And then we get Psalm 91. What a magnificent promise to those who dwell in God.

When we dwell in God, we are protected and preserved. We are set apart and set above. Angels guard our paths. God rescues, delivers, satisfies, and shows us salvation. Why would we say anything else to the Lord but, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust”?

Well…because I recall all the others psalms. You know, the ones like Psalm 73, 88, and 89. I mean, these promises in Psalm 91 sound good, but I’ve been living life. I’ve seen others live life. I’ve read about other’s lives. And it just doesn’t work out the way Psalm 91 says. Even Jesus was ridiculed, mocked, beaten, and nailed to a cross. Honestly, this psalm sounds like the basis for the accusations Job’s three friends made against him. What’s this all about?

First, a subtle statement in vs. 15 gives insight to the rest of the psalm. God says, “I will be with him in trouble.” In other words, the rescue and deliverances and protection in the rest of the psalm is not an escape from hardship as if the person who claims refuge in God never experiences trouble. It is an escape through hardship, as when Paul taught the new Christians from his first missionary journey that we don’t enter the kingdom instead of tribulation, rather we enter the kingdom through tribulation (Acts 14:22).

Second, it’s also a matter of perspective. When we make God our refuge and our fortress, thorns in the flesh become to us instruments of grace (2 Corinthians 12:7-10), various trials become the path to perfection (James 1:2-4), suffering and hardship become the maturing discipline of a loving Father (Hebrews 12:3-11). When God is our refuge and our fortress, sometimes He rescues us from the fiery furnace and the lion’s den, but other times He rescues us through them. Recall, when Nebuchadnezzar threatened Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego with the fiery furnace, they knew God could deliver them from the furnace, but even if not, He would deliver them from Nebuchadnezzar. In other words, for them, even death in the fiery furnace was actually protection from evil, plague, pestilence, darkness, and deliverance from the fowler’s snare.

For those who take refuge in God and allow Him to be our fortress, when we face hardship, it is only because the hardship will provide greater blessing for us in the long run than ease and convenience would have. The difference between we who find refuge in God and those who don’t is not our lives are easy and theirs are hard. Rather, it is that God redeems our hardship and doesn’t theirs. Our hardship becomes a blessing and path to salvation; theirs is simply recompense for the wicked.

God works all things together for good for those who love Him.

Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 91.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Psalm 91 prompt or improve your praise of God?

A Hard Lesson from the Life and Death of John the Baptist

Today’s reading is Matthew 14.

We love stories like Daniel in the lions’ den; David and Goliath; Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and the fiery furnace. We love them because they show people stepping out in faith against tremendous odds. They took a chance on God, and He proved their faith right by delivering them from certain death.

No doubt those are great stories. Indeed, that is how it sometimes works when we step out in faith. However, that isn’t always how it works. At least, not on the surface. We learn that lesson from John the Baptist. John stepped out in faith. He taught the gospel of the kingdom. He called people to repentance no matter how opposed they were. He even called Herod to repentance for his unlawful relationship with Herodias. Even while imprisoned he hung on to his faith. He trusted God.

Jesus had called John the greatest man born to woman. Yet, how did this story end? Herod and Herodias, the adulterers, survive and remain in power. John is beheaded. There is no sudden turning of the tables. Herod isn’t killed by his own sword. Herodias isn’t hung on her own gallows. Salome doesn’t get tossed into her own lions’ den. They all survive. There is no last minute pardon for John. There is no early morning deliverance. There is just beheading. John’s disciples gather up his body and bury it.

In Hebrews 11, we read what many call the “Hall of Faith.” We read of several who stepped out in faith and had great victories even in this life. However, there is a shift in Hebrews 11:35. Before that, some stopped lions’ mouths, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, put foreign armies to flight. However, in vs 35 and beyond, others were simply tortured, mocked, flogged, chained, and imprisoned. Still others were stoned, sawn in two, and killed with the sword. All of these also acted in faith. They put their trust in God, but like John the Baptist they died at the hands of their enemies.

What is that about? The key is at the end of vs 35: “refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life” (ESV). And that is exactly where we find John. He refused to accept release because the real victory wasn’t escaping death. The real victory is resurrection.

This teaches us a hard, but important lesson. Daniel, David, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego didn’t put their faith in God because they knew God would grant them escape from death. They put their faith in God because they knew He wouldn’t. Eventually, we all die. Daniel, David, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego have all died. Even if God delivers us from death in a particular moment, death is still coming. Even if God delivers us from certain death with a miraculous deliverance, death is still coming. We won’t escape death. That is why we need God.

We need God because death is not actually the end of the story. After death comes judgment (see Hebrews 9:27). That is where the real victory and defeat are found. John will be raised to life. Herod and Herodias to condemnation. It only looks like John was defeated in Matthew 14. Actually, because Jesus died and then was resurrected on the third day, we can all look forward to resurrection. This is the ultimate victory. It allows us to face death even at the hands of enemies and persecutors. We know whether God delivers us from death in that moment or lets us die, we are still victorious.

Hang on to your faith in God just like John because death is not the bitter end, it is only the bitter middle. What comes after death is why we have faith. For those who hang on to Jesus, what comes after death is glorious victory.

Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow’s reading is Matthew 14.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

Discuss the Following Questions with Your Family

1. What are your initial reactions to the chapter and the written devo above?
2. What fears do you have when you consider potential persecution?
3. How can we increase our faith to prepare for any potential persecution?
4. How can we help each other prepare for and endure any potential persecution?
5. What do you think we should pray for and about in light of this chapter and today’s post?