Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me. The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; do not forsake the works of Your hands. Psalm 138: 8, 9, NKJV.
Merciful Father, as we study Your Word, please assure us of the promise that You will not forsake us, “the works of Your hands.” In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
“Walking in the midst of trouble” is not as extreme as it sounds. Our world has become a global battlefield. There are battles being raged in every square inch of our world. The visible battles are the ones that make it into our newspapers, and other forms of the media; but the majority of the battles, are the ones that we hardly, or never, hear about. These are the battles fought by individuals every day of our lives.
After beginning on a high note of thanksgiving for God’s “steadfast love and faithfulness;” for “answering” when he called, and “strengthening” his soul; and for the greatness of God’s glory, the psalmist then goes on to claim, what God will do for him! This act of thanking God, in advance, is in keeping with true faith. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen“ (Hebrews 11: 1, emphasis provided).
This is a wonderful way to live. Praying, and believing, that what we have prayed for, is already ours. Unfortunately, not all Christians have adopted this way of life. Let us listen to the certainty with which the psalmist David expresses his faith in God’s care of him, “Even when I walk through a mine field, or bullets are flying all around me, I have the assurance that no matter what happens, ‘You will restore my soul.’ Your hand will shield me from the darts of the enemy. Your right hand has become my salvation. God will take every circumstance of my life, no matter how dark it may seem, and turn it into a blessing. I live protected by Your continuous mercy. Whatever happens, O LORD, don’t ever leave me. Remember, it was You who breathed into my nostrils the breath of life” (Verses 8 and 9 paraphrased by me).
Everyday we walk in the midst of trouble. Sometimes we are aware of these pitfalls, and sometimes we are not. Angels who excel in strength have been commisssioned to stand beside us on the battlefield and cover us from the dangers that lurk around us. So do not be afraid to call upon the Lord no matter what the situation. When your health seems beyond repair, call on Him. When you cannot seem to get through to your child, call on Him. If the love of your spouse seems to have waned, call on Him. When your tuition is due, and you don’t know where the next dime is coming from, call on Him. When You have used your last handful of flour, and your last drop of oil, call on Him! When “all hell breaks loose,” call on Him! And when You call, believe that He heard you, and that He will not forsake the children that He gave life to!