Lessons from Psalms Part 3
He’s the hope that holds me and the stronghold to shelter me, the only God for me, and my great confidence.
Psalms 91:2 TPT
What hope are you holding onto? Psalm 20v7 says that in times of war “some hope in chariots and some in horses” In other words, we naturally trust that our soldiers and their weapons will defeat the enemy and defend us from further attack. A strong nation has a strong army, and is constantly revising their military ability and creating new weapons of mass destruction. In this day and age, I don’t find that a comforting thought! The rest of the verse says “but we will remember the Name of The Lord our God”.
Remembering God’s name, is remembering His character and His promises. Proverbs 18v10 declares “The name of The Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run into it and are saved”
I love the way the TPT says, He’s the hope that holds me”. When our hope is in the character and promises of God, that hope holds us firm through every spiritual battle and storm.
I remember so clearly the first time my son became extremely ill and was in hospital for 3 months. Hubby and I were devastated. We knew things hadn’t been right with him for some time, but nothing prepared us for the length and severity of his illness. They were very difficult days, of travelling up and down to the hospital while still trying to homeschool and hold down a part time job. I was constantly tired and very tearful. We had great family support, especially from my mother-in-law, who let me pour out my worry and grief and I knew she prayed for the whole family continually. I knew that my son was born again and that God was in control of the situation, but that didn’t stop the heartache of a very real, very painful, human experience. And that’s OK. God gave us the full range of human emotions. In a time of anxiety and exhaustion its normal to be tearful, as long as those tears don’t turn our heart away from God. The Scriptures tell us to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. Romans 12v15.
Happy clappy Christianity that expects to dance through life with no trouble or sorrow is both artificial and superficial. There is no depth of feeling, and no understanding of the ways of God. Trusting in God does not mean there will be no soul-searching trials, or times of intense emotional turmoil. But when those times come, and we shelter in the high tower of God’s Name, He is the hope that hold us, and the strong hold that shelters us from all the lies that the devil will spew out on us. When Christ is the only God for us, we have immovable confidence that He will bring us through the storm to a harbour of peace and calm. When we are sheltering in the character of God, who does no wrong, and is everlasting love and mercy, His Present Presence will help us to understand more fully His heart toward us, even when Satan whispers that His hand is against us. Don’t let the trials of your life cause you to surrender to the enemy of doubt. Run to the strong tower of His Name and stay there, being held by Him until the storm is past.
“His name is called Emmanuel” Mathew 1v23