My Refuge and My Fortress

This Psalm struck me as exactly what I needed in these days. Perhaps it will be a comfort to you as well.

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!” For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper And from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. You will not be afraid of the terror by night, Or of the arrow that flies by day; Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, Or of the destruction ​that lays waste at noon.

A thousand may fall at your side And ten thousand at your right hand, But it shall not approach you. You will only look on with your eyes And see the recompense of the wicked. For you have made the Lord, my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place. No evil will befall you, Nor will any plague come near your tent. For He will give His angels charge concerning you, To guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, That you do not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and cobra, The young lion and the serpent you will trample down. “Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him And let him see My salvation.”” (Psalms 91:1-16 )

Questions for thought:

  • How does this Psalm reflect what you are thinking and feeling these days?
  • What hope does it give?
  • What steps of faith am I to take?
  • Take a moment to thank the Lord for being your refuge and fortress.

Maranatha (Come Lord!)

Confidence

I’ve spent time reflecting on some of the passages in Hebrews this week. One that stands out to me, is printed below for your reflection.

There is a common thought that we have to have our act together or be a good person to approach Jesus. This passage offers a different perspective. The reality is, we can draw near to Him with confidence. Take a minute to read (perhaps aloud) these few verses.

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)

Questions for reflection:

  • What immediately strikes you from this passage?
  • What hope does it offer?
  • What do you learn about Jesus from this passage?
  • What confidence does this passage offer?
  • Take a moment to reflect to Jesus your thoughts.

Maranatha (Come Lord!)

Heart and Skill

To lead is to shepherd. The Lord picked David, a teenager who took care of his father’s sheep, to be the shepherd of His people Israel. What David learned as a shepherd of sheep, gave much wisdom in shepherding Israel (See 2 Samuel – 1 Kings 1). Psalm 78 recounts some of Israel’s history and ends with David. Take a minute to read the last three verses of the Psalm.

“He also chose David His servant And took him from the sheepfolds; From the care of the ewes with suckling lambs He brought him To shepherd Jacob His people, And Israel His inheritance. So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them with his skillful hands.” (Psalm 78:70-72 )​

Here are a few questions to assist your reflection:

  • What character traits might David have developed as a shepherd of sheep?
  • What does “integrity of heart” mean? Why was this important?
  • What does “guided them with skillful hands” mean?
  • How does this inform you on the qualifications of leaders?
  • How might the Lord want you to apply these thoughtsvto your situation?

Maranatha (Come Lord!)

What’s Coming

The future is glorious for those in Christ. That’s why I always close these short reflections with the word and prayer, “Maranatha (Come Lord!)”. Between now and then, Paul’s words to Timothy about what’s coming, applies.

I read the following passage this morning and thought it might be of value for our reflection.

“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

Here are a few questions to ponder as you reflect on Paul’s words:

  • How accurate are Paul’s words to what is happening in your part of the world today?
  • How does knowing the future in general terms, cause you to think and feel?
  • What do you want to say to the Lord?

Maranatha (Come Lord!)