Remember This

One of the constant themes in the Psalms is God’s provision and protection. The psalmists make it clear that protection doesn’t mean comfort or ease, but in the midst of our difficulties we look to God as our protection. Let’s start today with prayer:

Father, Would Your love and mercy be what sustains me in the troubles I face. I am asking that You would help me to live from the truth that You go before me and fight for me. I can entrust my life and my justice to You. May that truth strengthen me in the face of trouble and keep me in the fight. Amen.

Psalm 11 (NLT)
1 I trust in the Lord for protection.

So why do you say to me,

    “Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety!

2 The wicked are stringing their bows

    and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings.

They shoot from the shadows

    at those whose hearts are right.

3 The foundations of law and order have collapsed.

    What can the righteous do?”
4 But the Lord is in his holy Temple;

    the Lord still rules from heaven.

He watches everyone closely,

    examining every person on earth.

5 The Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked.

    He hates those who love violence.

6 He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked,

    punishing them with scorching winds.

7 For the righteous Lord loves justice.

    The virtuous will see his face.

Nine-year old Chris really set the tone for a lifetime of avoiding stressful situations. There I stood on the pitcher’s mound lugging ball after ball, walking batter after batter. With each ball, I could feel the tension building inside of me as the disappointment and frustration of my team and the fans filled my mind. We lost that game because I couldn’t throw a strike, and I swore I never wanted to feel like that ever again. Have you ever had a moment where you felt the stress building and the walls caving in? How did you handle the situation?

I spent a lot of years doing everything I could to avoid that feeling. But the psalmist makes two things clear. First, if we want to do good, we will always be in tension with evil. Or in other words, obedience to God will create moments of tension in our lives. Obedience to God is often in opposition to a world (and even our own desires) that has competing values. Has obedience  ever created tension in your life? Was it tempting to choose disobedience to avoid the tension?

Second, we shouldn’t avoid obedience because it creates tension. Rather, we embrace the tension, speak the truth of God’s sustaining protection to our fear, and continue to walk in obedience. Why? Because He can protect us no matter how stressful, desperate, or dark the situation seems. If I could go back in time and talk to nine-year old Chris, I would tell him it will be ok, and he can seek God and trust that He will protect him. He fights for those who trust Him.

Let’s seek God today for the strength:

Holy Spirit, will you walk me into those moments where I have let fear win…show me how I could have responded…

Ask God to strengthen and protect you in whatever stressful moment He is bringing you to in this season.

I pray God’s protection on you as you walk out in obedience and experience the stress and tension of doing so.