Trust that Overcomes Fear
A rock slide in Glenwood canyon, closed I-70 west and caused us to take a scenic detour that extended our travel time from Dillon by over three hours. We all arrived safely and in the process went through some towns and saw some scenery that we have not seen before. Tomorrow is my niece’s wedding and with the travel restrictions we will stay an extra night in Glenwood Springs and pray for I-70 to be reopened by Sunday.
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “When I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Psalm 56:3,4 HCSB
There are many causes of fear in our world and our life. A chorus we have been singing at our church in recent months from Bethel Music contains a chorus with the words, “I’m no longer a slave to fear I am a child of God.” (http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/bethelmusic/nolongerslaves.html)
That is a song King David could sing and could have written. His version though proclaimed, “When I am afraid, I will trust in you.” David’s fear was not psychological in nature but founded upon those who sought to destroy him. Psalm 56 opens with David pleading for God’s gracious favor because, “…man tramples me; he fights and oppresses me all day long. My adversaries trample me all day, for many arrogantly fight against me…” (Psa. 56:1,2 HCSB)
David’s response was to trust in God, to praise God and to not fear what “man” could do to him. I am reminded of Jesus words, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28 NIV)
David’s trust was based in God’s promise, God’s faithfulness and God’s awareness of any sorrow that would come his way. We find in this Psalm, the well-known words, “You Yourself have recorded my wanderings. Put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your records? Then my enemies will retreat on the day when I call. This I know: God is for me.” (Psalm 56:8,9 HCSB)
The trials of David’s life were not out of God’s all-seeing eye. As a result, David had confidence of the Lord’s intervention and the assurance “God is for me.”
There is no greater reminder that you can hold on to and even say out loud, when faced with fear than, “This I know: God is for me.” To that declaration you can add the words of Paul, “…If God is for us [me], who can be against us [me]?“ (Romans 8:31 NIV)
We live in a day of uncertainty; from our economy, to personal issues, to personal finances, to a world filled with “terrorism.” You can experience peace in the midst of that which would bring fear to our lives. The key is to trust in the Lord. To remember that He is aware of your sorrows, fears and tears. You can reinforce those assurances, with the confidence that when you call on the Lord your enemies will retreat, because “God is for me.”