David Bahn – Reflections

David Bahn-Reflections Podcast

Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills.
    From where does my help come?
² My help comes from the LORD,
    who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot be moved;
    he who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴ Behold, he who keeps Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The LORD is your keeper;
    the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

⁷ The LORD will keep you from all evil;
    he will keep your life.
⁸ The LORD will keep
    your going out and your coming in
    from this time forth and forevermore.

When I consider the dangers and threats from which God protects me, I seldom put the moon in the category of threats. Too much sun? Yes, danger in many ways. From skin cancer because of too much sun bathing, to sunstroke from the sun’s radiant heat, the sun can pose significant danger. But I don’t think that’s what these verses speak of:

God promises to protect us from all dangers. Whether they come in the heat of the day or the cool of the night, God stands a ready watch over his people. Such is his promise.

People will point out, however, that bad things happen to God’s people all the time. They are not exempt from trouble, danger, and even calamity. Recent tornadoes in Mississippi took the lives of Christians and atheists alike. Three children in a Nashville Christian school were murdered just this week. Floods, economic upheaval, theft, violence, and troubles of all kinds do not bypass God’s people. Jesus himself said, “In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33) And God, “causes his rain to fall on the just and the unjust.” (Matthew 5:45) Jesus also said in that same verse that God, “makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good.”

I have a favorite flippant answer when someone asks, “Why is this here?” My answer: “Inertia, gravity, and friction.” That’s true, but not the whole truth. The rest of the answer is that neither I nor anyone else took the time and effort to move it. The laws of physics apply, but so do the realities of human interface. If we don’t act the dirty dish, discarded sock, or misplaced chair won’t move itself.

But in the case of the dirty dish or the intrusion of trouble, there is another side to the story. How many times have I put the dirty dish in the dishwasher? How many times have we avoided horrific troubles? How many times have catastrophes bypassed us? How many car accidents, thefts, and illnesses been kept far from us?

This doesn’t negate the pain of worldly troubles. But it might do us good to recognize that God is constantly protecting us – even though sometimes he allows troubles into our lives. We are not called on to understand the reason for this. Sometimes God has a reason he reveals to us. Most often it remains a mystery. In any case, we are to turn to God when these bad things happen.

One possible reason for God’s choice to allow suffering is powerfully displayed in a clip (below) from The Chosen. This powerful video streaming series depicts the interactions of Jesus with his disciples, the crowds, the Jewish leaders, and the Romans. The conversation between Jesus and Little James is imagined, but authentic in nature to what Jesus taught. God sometimes allows his people to suffer so that they may offer an even more powerful witness.

But most often God protects us from the dangers that come by day or at night. We can lament the times trouble intrudes. God receives such prayers. The Psalms are full of them. But we must also thank God daily for his protection, provision, and presence. For that is the far greater and more common experience for most all of God’s people.

Luther’s Morning & Evening Prayers beautifully expresses this:

Luther’s Morning Prayer

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

Luther’s Evening Prayer

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

David Bahn-Reflections Podcast

Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills.
    From where does my help come?
² My help comes from the LORD,
    who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot be moved;
    he who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴ Behold, he who keeps Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The LORD is your keeper;
    the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

⁷ The LORD will keep you from all evil;
    he will keep your life.
⁸ The LORD will keep
    your going out and your coming in
    from this time forth and forevermore.

One of my not-so-secret pleasures is sneaking off to our front bedroom and taking a mid-afternoon nap. Sometimes I’m really tired. Sometimes I just want some down time. I’ll listen to a book, watch a YouTube video, or meditate and pray. It’s a privilege of being retired…and not having much pressure from Diane in the form of a “Honey-Do” list. Whether it’s a midday nap, a good night’s sleep, or some other form of rest, it is a necessary rhythm for those who wish to follow God’s laws and Jesus’ example. He would often go out alone to pray (resting by absenting himself from the constant demands on his time). And God commands that we remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy, including the command that we not work on that one day of the week.

God himself rested after the work of creation.

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. ² And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. ³ So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. – Genesis 2:1-3

I’m wondering about this psalm in light of God’s resting on the seventh day of creation. Was that it for God? Did he get one day of rest and now he’s 24/7/365 caring for people, and on leap year, 24/7/366? Does God never get a break? According to this psalm, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber or sleep. He’s always watching over us. He is always on call. He’s always attentive to us. Why he needed to rest after creating the world, but no longer needs to, is a mystery to me.

Beyond the mystery is the blessing of God’s constant care, protection, provision, and watchfulness. Jesus teaches us about God’s care for us and all of creation.

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. ³⁰ But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. – Matthew 10:29-30

God is watching over us without fail. He is aware of our every need, temptation, trouble, joy, challenge, and hope. This isn’t just a full-time job for him. It’s his heart’s calling, a work of love, and a product of his goodness.

The one exception I can think of to his absolute care was 2000 years ago from 9:00 in the morning to 3:00 in the afternoon. That was the time his only Son was on the cross. It was then that God took his eye off Jesus. Jesus cried out, “My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me?” He did that so that we could enjoy the eternal blessings of God’s glorious grace. There is no down time for his loving care for us and for all of creation.

David Bahn-Reflections Podcast

Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills.
    From where does my help come?
² My help comes from the LORD,
    who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot be moved;
    he who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴ Behold, he who keeps Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The LORD is your keeper;
    the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

⁷ The LORD will keep you from all evil;
    he will keep your life.
⁸ The LORD will keep
    your going out and your coming in
    from this time forth and forevermore.

One of the podcasts I occasionally listen to is hosted by an atheist. He’s not the in-your-face kind. He doesn’t make a point of it. But it’s clear that he has no space in his world view for any kind of god. He’s not even an agnostic as far as I can tell. He’ll talk about thinking good thoughts toward someone who’s having a difficult time. He’ll send out holiday cards to some of his patrons. But I don’t think he actually calls them “holiday” cards. After all, that would imply that there is something holy behind the celebration of the season or day.

This psalm directs us to a very specific, well-identified, and named God: the LORD (יהוה‎). This is the name God revealed to Moses when he sent him to Egypt with the message to Pharaoh, “Let my people go.” The name may well be thought of as expressing the essential (existential?) reality of God’s existence. He is the One Who Is. His name is I AM that I AM. This is beyond René Descartes’ I think, therefore I am. There is no therefore necessary to God’s existence. He is. Self validating. Needing no one to acknowledge him. Needing to answer to no one. By his own assertion being. God is. The LORD is God.

But there’s way more to this than God’s self-validating existence. For God did not have to do anything in order to be. He did not need to create heaven and earth. But he did. He did not need to care about our feet being held steadfast. He didn’t need to keep us, provide for our shade, or bless our going out and coming in. But he has promised to do that. What’s more, he doesn’t do all this anonymously. He has revealed himself to us by name. We can call on him by name.

Perhaps you’ve had the experience of someone insinuating that he knows you by using your name in a familiar way. Whether unsolicited sales calls, or slick used car salesperson, it can be quite a turn-off. When you have and use someone’s name you are seeking to leverage a relationship in some manner or another.

We dare not try that with God. Take a look at the account of the seven sons of Sceva (Acts 19:11-20). Or consider Jesus’ answer to those who claimed, “Lord, Lord! Did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name…” Jesus responds, “I never knew you.” (Matthew 17:21-23)

Jesus promises, however, that when we call on God in his name, he hears us. A humble cry reaches the heart of God, and he delights to be known by us. Our help comes from the LORD, maker of heaven and earth, redeemer of lost and broken sinners, friend of repentant sinners, and keeper of our lives who has taken on human flesh. He is known as Jesus whom we confess as Lord. When we call on God in Jesus’ name we are not simply having good thoughts. We are connecting with the King of the Universe from whom help will surely come.

David Bahn-Reflections Podcast

Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills.
    From where does my help come?
² My help comes from the LORD,
    who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot be moved;
    he who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴ Behold, he who keeps Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The LORD is your keeper;
    the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

⁷ The LORD will keep you from all evil;
    he will keep your life.
⁸ The LORD will keep
    your going out and your coming in
    from this time forth and forevermore.

In the battle for Helm’s Keep in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Gandalf tells Aragorn and those who will face the vicious onslaught of the forces of evil, “On the third day, look to the east.” He is promising help will arrive. And sure enough, on the third day of a fierce battle, Gandalf comes to the aid of the embattled forces of good. It is a welcome sight to say the least. The tide turns. The enemies are defeated.

Where do you look for help? When the bills can’t be paid. When the wife just doesn’t understand. When the husband won’t listen. When the boss says you’re laid off. When you know you need help but don’t know what you need or how to ask. The psalmist tells us that our help comes from the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth.

Tonight our Life Group (a small group that meets in our home) was looking for a Bible passage that we could pray on a daily basis. We settled on Jeremiah 33:3, where God invites (commands) us, “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” 

We had no idea how appropriate this was until we learned that one of our group will be laid off in the very near future. We prayed that a door of which he now knows nothing about would be opened to him. How powerful to know that as we pray we can apply this verse specifically to our friend and brother in Christ!

So where do we look for help? Government? Medical science? A nearby friend? An escape to the mountains? I lift my eyes to the hills. Yes. But my help comes from the LORD. He created the world and all that is in it. He has is eyes on you. He will watch over you. And he will not miss a beat.

When trouble comes, God never says, “I didn’t see that coming!” There are no surprises in the courts of the heavenly realm. He has good plans for his people. Sometimes those plans are to help others in their time of need. Sometimes those plans are to strengthen our faith through trials and struggles. And sometimes his plans are to send help at an opportune time. In every case when we look to God for help, we are looking toward the right One.

David Bahn-Reflections Podcast

Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills.
    From where does my help come?
² My help comes from the LORD,
    who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot be moved;
    he who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴ Behold, he who keeps Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The LORD is your keeper;
    the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

⁷ The LORD will keep you from all evil;
    he will keep your life.
⁸ The LORD will keep
    your going out and your coming in
    from this time forth and forevermore.

In the battle for Helm’s Keep in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Gandalf tells Aragorn and those who will face the vicious onslaught of the forces of evil, “On the third day, look to the east.” He is promising help will arrive. And sure enough, on the third day of a fierce battle, Gandalf comes to the aid of the embattled forces of good. It is a welcome sight to say the least. The tide turns. The enemies are defeated.

Where do you look for help? When the bills can’t be paid. When the wife just doesn’t understand. When the husband won’t listen. When the boss says you’re laid off. When you know you need help but don’t know what you need or how to ask. The psalmist tells us that our help comes from the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth.

Tonight our Life Group (a small group that meets in our home) was looking for a Bible passage that we could pray on a daily basis. We settled on Jeremiah 33:3, where God invites (commands) us, “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” 

We had no idea how appropriate this was until we learned that one of our group will be laid off in the very near future. We prayed that a door of which he now knows nothing about would be opened to him. How powerful to know that as we pray we can apply this verse specifically to our friend and brother in Christ!

So where do we look for help? Government? Medical science? A nearby friend? An escape to the mountains? I lift my eyes to the hills. Yes. But my help comes from the LORD. He created the world and all that is in it. He has is eyes on you. He will watch over you. And he will not miss a beat.

When trouble comes, God never says, “I didn’t see that coming!” There are no surprises in the courts of the heavenly realm. He has good plans for his people. Sometimes those plans are to help others in their time of need. Sometimes those plans are to strengthen our faith through trials and struggles. And sometimes his plans are to send help at an opportune time. In every case when we look to God for help, we are looking toward the right One.

Please pray these psalms with me on this Lord’s Day.

Psalm 26:8

David Bahn-Reflections Podcast

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.
⁵ God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
    God will help her when morning dawns.
⁶ The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
    he utters his voice, the earth melts.
⁷ The LORD of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

⁸ Come, behold the works of the LORD,
    how he has brought desolations on the earth.
⁹ He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the chariots with fire.
¹⁰ “Be still, and know that I am God.
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!”
¹¹ The LORD of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

The word selah is a kind of mystery. It means, perhaps a musical interlude, or a pause in the flow of the psalm. I’ve written about selah previously. In 2009, I suggested it was a kind of STOP sign for us and quoted John Ortberg’s book (see below). More recently I wrote about how is an invitation to stop and think about what is just said. Today I want to invite you to pause and refresh your soul along your path of life as a follower of Jesus.

Resting is actually essential to a fully-productive life of a disciple of Jesus. And there are at least two issues we must face in this regard. First of all we’re not so sure we want to be fully-productive. We’d rather be at peace, happy, fulfilled, content, and enjoying life. So to offer this idea as a means of being fully-productive is potentially a non-starter for many. But this is God’s desire for us. Jesus desires that we bear much fruit as his disciples.

But, pausing to refresh is essential to a fully-productive life of following Jesus?!? That doesn’t make sense. It is counter-intuitive to think that pausing to refresh is essential to a fully-productive life of following Jesus. We would imagine that working harder and more efficiently is key to be more productive. This is where John Ortberg’s insights are so helpful:

In his book, The Life You’ve Always Wanted, Ortberg recalls a conversation with a spiritual mentor whose advise he is seeking.

“What is the next thing I should be doing if I want to deepen my relationship with God?” he asks [I am paraphrasing the conversation here]. His friend answers, “You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.”

John replies, “OK. Got that. What’s next?”

His kind spiritual mentor says, “You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.”

Ortberg says, “Yeah, I’ve got that. What else is there?”

The mentor says, “There is nothing else. You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.”

Ortberg’s mentor, as I recall is Dallas Willard, a spiritual disciplines guru. He didn’t think this up from scratch. He got it from Jesus. Jesus makes it clear that abiding in him (pausing and being refreshed by his presence) is the key to bearing fruit (being productive in our lives as his followers).

[Jesus says,] “ I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.² Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” – John 15:1-5

So pause today and remember to be still and know that God is God. He will be exalted among the nations and in all the earth. As we pause and refresh, we will discover not only the life we’ve always wanted, but also the gracious blessing of bearing fruit. All this for the glory of God, your joy, and the blessing of many. For now, though, enjoy the pause that refreshes. And just so you know, I’m not talking about having a Coke! I’m talking about pausing to reflect on God’s word, his promises, his goodness, and reign and rule, and his work in the world. This psalm helps us do just that.

David Bahn-Reflections Podcast

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.
⁵ God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
    God will help her when morning dawns.
⁶ The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
    he utters his voice, the earth melts.
⁷ The LORD of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

⁸ Come, behold the works of the LORD,
    how he has brought desolations on the earth.
⁹ He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the chariots with fire.
¹⁰ “Be still, and know that I am God.
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!”
¹¹ The LORD of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

It may be your favorite grandchild, best friend, closest neighbor, or your spouse. But for most people there is someone whose presence you truly desire. He lifts your spirits. She grounds your dreams. She offers grace. He understands. Warm fuzzies abound. Great comfort wraps you like a warm blanket on a chilly Saturday morning.

We might not think of God in quite that way – and rightly so. God’s presence is more far-reaching than a warm blanket or your favorite softie. The picture here is of God’s protective presence against the onslaughts of life, death, threat, or danger. I see children running into their parents’ room in the middle of the night after a loud crash of thunder. They want the comfort of their parents’ protective presence. So should we want the comfort of God’s protective presence.

More often we ask for the dangers to be removed and the threats to abate. More often we seek to find places of peaceful living in the face of the world’s crazy and fearsome threats. Sometimes we become so used to the threats and dangers of the world, we don’t notice the fierce dangers surrounding us.

I’m not a Chicken Little. I seldom run around saying the sky is falling. In fact, I’m everyone else in that story after hearing of the dangers for the 10th time, I’m numbed. The constant threat warnings become so much white noise. I chalk it up to fear mongering. They’re overreacting I think. It’s not that bad. We’ll be fine.

But then the threats become real.

• The diagnosis is grave and the prognosis is fraught with challenges. The treatments have horrific potential side effects.
• The slip is pink and you don’t know where you can possibly land.
• The bed is empty where the spouse should be and you don’t know if you’ve lost your mate to another.
• There is no word from a teenage daughter who has threatened to run away for the past 4 months.
• You discover drug paraphernalia in your son’s room.
• You see your life savings evaporate in a maelstrom of economic chaos and you don’t know if you’ll be able to stay in your home for more than a month.

God’s protective presence and his help are so very precious in those moments. And as the time unfolds and the diagnosis proves true and the prognosis worsens, and the bed stays empty, and the phone does not ring, and the sullenness of drugs’ stupor does not abate, two things become ever more clear.

1. We live in a fallen world where, as Jesus says, we will have trouble.
2. God’s presence is precious.

We’re all looking for paradise. We want to live in a garden of God’s favor and delight. We yearn for his true grace and goodness. We yearn for God himself to be present. This psalm points us to God. And 1500 years later God would speak through the Apostle John with this promise:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. ⁴ He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” – Revelation 21:3-4

This is our truest need and God’s gracious blessing.

David Bahn-Reflections Podcast

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.
⁵ God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
    God will help her when morning dawns.
⁶ The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
    he utters his voice, the earth melts.
⁷ The LORD of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

⁸ Come, behold the works of the LORD,
    how he has brought desolations on the earth.
⁹ He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the chariots with fire.
¹⁰ “Be still, and know that I am God.
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!”
¹¹ The LORD of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

The Mississippi River was my definition of a river. It flowed past my home town with a constancy interrupted only by occasional and sometimes devastating flooding. For many years it was severely polluted by raw sewage from towns all along its banks. That practice has abated, but it does not run clear like the Current River (in southern Missouri). But it’s not as silt-laden as the Red River. One thing it is: mighty. That’s it’s nickname: The Mighty Mississippi. It was a lifeblood for many along its banks – polluted and dirty as it may have been. When I see other smaller streams that are called rivers, I have to recalibrate my understanding of the term.

The psalmist says,

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.

But there is no river in Jerusalem; either by name or by significance. There are a few small streams, but no river in the city. This psalm speaks of the river which is prophesied of in Ezekiel 47. The riven there flows from the temple of God outward. As it flows it gets deeper and more life-giving. It has a profoundly positive impact on all it touches.

I notice that this river makes glad the city of God. It is a joy to have a positive impact in others’ lives. The river in Jerusalem is not merely for the refreshment of its inhabitants. It refreshes all it touches – as far as it flows.

This is the secret of true gladness. It’s not about getting, it’s about giving. True happiness, gladness comes from blessing others; not just being blessed.

Jesus has the same to say about his followers.

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. ³⁸ Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”  (John 7:37-38). It’s the same thought as when Jesus told his disciples, “Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:25) He provides the perfect example of this reminding his followers that he came not to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28)

God’s desire is for his people to be fully blessed, completely glad. Experiencing his grace and love is the essential beginning of that gladness. The completion of it comes when we pass along those blessings to others. Such is the river of gladness: It flows to us with great and gracious blessing, and from us to others as we give that which we have received from God.

David Bahn-Reflections Podcast

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.
⁵ God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
    God will help her when morning dawns.
⁶ The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
    he utters his voice, the earth melts.
⁷ The LORD of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

⁸ Come, behold the works of the LORD,
    how he has brought desolations on the earth.
⁹ He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the chariots with fire.
¹⁰ “Be still, and know that I am God.
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!”
¹¹ The LORD of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Don’t be afraid. This word of encouragement (see how “courage” is central to that word!), is an invitation to God’s people to keep things in perspective – no matter what may be happening around them.

An angel appears to Zechariah in the temple, and offers the assurance, “Do not be afraid.” (Luke 1:13)

An angel appears to Mary and greets her, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you.” Mary was troubled by this greeting. She didn’t know what it actually meant. The angel then encourages her, “Do not be afraid…” (Luke 1:28-30)

The angels appear to the shepherds on that first Christmas night. Their greeting: “Fear not…” (Luke 2:10)

The women discover an angel at the empty tomb on the first Easter. His greeting, “Do not be afraid.” (Matthew 28:5)

Three times in Matthew’s gospel, three times in Luke, and 30 times in the Old Testament the phrase, “Do not be afraid,” is found. Whether to Abraham, Joshua, Elijah, David, or Mary, Joseph, or the women at the tomb God’s command is also an invitation: Do not be afraid. 

Jesus himself says, “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28) We should fear and love God… says Martin Luther as he explains the Commandments.

Somehow we are to fear God, yet be encouraged by his protective power in the face of trouble. We are to see him as a raging fire, the supreme King of kings, and Lord of lords, and yet want to be with him, in his presence to experience his help and protection in the face of earthquake, fire, and storm.

I’m wondering whether I need to lean more on the fear of God, or the protective blessing of his presence. There are days when I don’t do something evil out of fear of God. And there are days, sadly, when fear of the world’s powers influences me more that it should.

Seems I need both a reminder of God’s fear-worthiness as well as the encouragement to draw near to him when the world’s dangers threaten. Whether it’s direct threats of violence and natural disaster, or the subtle influences of peer pressure or temptation, I need God’s help and a reminder that he is worthy of healthy and godly fear. That may be a secondary motivation to faithfulness, but it is still a good one. The greatest motivation is love and faith itself that recognizes and believes in the ultimate goodness of God.

Because of that goodness, we need never fear when we are in his protective and powerful care.