For You bless the godly, O Lord;
You surround them with Your shield of love.
Psalm 5:12 (NLT)
Have you ever come across a verse or concept in Scripture that just sticks with you—and maybe you’re not even sure why? This is what happened weeks ago after reading the verse above. I have always believed that the Lord blesses those who strive to follow Him, but what on earth did the psalmist mean by a shield of love? The two terms don’t seem to make sense together, especially in today’s modern world.
Then I got to thinking about the author of this psalm. David had been a shepherd boy early in his youth, yet he was elevated to warrior status with one act of exceptional bravery when he defeated the giant Goliath (see I Samuel 17:32-51). As time passed, his father-in-law, King Saul, turned against him—so David became a soldier-at-large with his band of men. Perhaps because of such life-threatening experiences, we find David penning these plaintive lines:
O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but You. Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to You and wait expectantly.
(Psalm 5:1-3)
Like us, David no doubt dealt with the ordinary ups and downs of life. And, as we’ve seen, he had seasons of extreme stress and uncertainty. But David lived in very different times than we do today. A sword and shield were everyday tools in his battle for survival. These instruments of protection for himself, his family, and his fellow fugitives were not only familiar but also seemed fitting to explain his insights about God’s love. For David, the Lord didn’t provide a soft, fuzzy kind of love. It didn’t come with a Hallmark card or box of chocolates. No, to this seasoned soldier, the love of the Lord seemed as real as his ever-present shield—capable of providing confidence as well as protection, even in the darkest hours of life’s journey.
While we may find it hard to imagine hiding out from enemy forces or facing armies like David did, we certainly can relate with other frustrations he expressed in Psalm 5: “For they cannot speak one truthful word. Their hearts are filled to the brim with wickedness. Their suggestions are full of the stench of sin and death. Their tongues are filled with flatteries to gain their wicked ends” (verse 9, The Living Bible). It appears David also experienced the pain of dealing with deceitful people and the impact of sin in a fallen world.
Take a few minutes to consider similar feelings you may be experiencing. Are you struggling with frustrating situations, unfriendly forces, or even fear? What problems are you facing right now that seem insurmountable? Here are a few dilemmas some of our friends and family members are battling with:
· A drug-addicted child
· An aging parent whose health is failing
· Chronic back pain that medication isn’t relieving
· Strained relationships with siblings
· Income that’s reduced while expenses continue to rise
· A business partner who didn’t keep his promises
And this list could go on and on. Times may change, but the problems of living really don’t vary that much from millennia to millennia.
Perhaps that’s why the “shield of love” concept has stuck with me. I like the idea of God’s love encompassing me, shielding me and those I care about from negative experiences that bombard us each day. In addition, I appreciate David’s plea to the Lord as he closed out this captivating psalm: “But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread Your protection over them, that all who love Your name may be filled with joy” (verse 11).
Oh, may this be true for you today! Whatever you are struggling with, ask God to help you with every aspect of it. Whoever may be a challenge in your personal or professional life, pray for wisdom about how to handle the situation. Not only will God give you the answers you need, but His presence and protection will also provide you much more joy in the days ahead.
Thought of the Month
Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to Him for protection.
Proverbs 30:5
And the One sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then He said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”
Revelation 21:5
(New Living Translation)
For those who are old enough to remember, May 18th of 1980 proved to be an historically cataclysmic day. After numerous warning signs, Mount St. Helens erupted with a fury—forever changing the landscape for miles around. In the aftermath of the devastating event, researchers began studying the area, wondering if life would ever return to this seemingly post-apocalyptic world.
What surprised many, even these seasoned scientists, was how quickly restoration came to charred land, choked rivers, and debris-filled lakes. As authors John Morris and Steven A. Austin explain, “Early predictions had claimed it would be over one hundred years before life could re-establish itself in the poisonous ash which covered everything. Despite the predictions, in just a few years, rain and snowfall have broken the ash into nutrients and resurrected the buried soil beneath, allowing plants to reappear in abundance” (from their book, Footprints in the Ash: The Explosive Story of Mount St. Helens, 2003).
As we begin this new year of 2018, the story of regeneration at Mount St. Helens pales in comparison to what the Lord can do in each of our lives. Indeed, in Revelation 21 we find that He is the One who makes all things new. Not a few items. Not almost everything. No, the Lord boldly proclaims, “I am making everything new!”
This transformative process begins when we accept God’s gracious gift of salvation by believing in His Son Jesus. As II Corinthians 5:17 explains, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” Despite whatever has happened in our past, the Lord changes all of that when we become part of His forever family. Our old, damaged life is no more; instead, a complete renewal begins because of Him!
Of course, God also reminds us in Scripture that, along with this miraculous, life-altering development, we have a part to play:
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
(Romans 12:2)
While living in this tumultuous world, our job is to avoid acting in ways that are unproductive. This verse in Romans 12 also encourages believers to “let God transform you.” In other words, we must intentionally allow the Lord to work in and through us, looking for opportunities to learn His ways and will for our lives.
This part of the transformative process has been mirrored in the aftermath of Mount St. Helens’ eruption: “Perhaps even more starling is the rapid adaptation of certain animals … God designed His creation in such a way that it can adapt to a variety of conditions” (Morris and Austin, p. 108).
How awesome! God has given His creation the ability to transform, no matter how awful the circumstances. Despite an unimaginable past, current unsettling situations, or uncertainty about the future, the Lord can and will help us through it all if we so desire. Even if you feel that the changes you need to make are insurmountable, the One sitting on the throne has already declared, “Behold, I am making everything new!” This process is already in motion! The Apostle Paul reminded us of this fact in Philippians 1:6: “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”
So, another new year is upon us. What will we do with the opportunities for growth and change that lie ahead of us? Will we get stuck in the muck and mire of this world, focused on what was or what could have been—or will we allow the Lord of Lord and King of Kings to transform us in new, exciting ways that we can’t possibly imagine?
Like many aspects of life, the choice for a new beginning is ours to make—and we can be confident that He who is trustworthy and true will continue His work “until it is finally finished.”
Happy New Year to you and your family from all of us at Sonkist Ministries!
Thought of the Month
This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.
Colossians 1:6
Jesu, joy of man’s desiring,
Holy wisdom, love most bright;
Drawn by Thee, our souls aspiring
Soar to uncreated light.
From the song Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring by Johann Sebastian Bach , lyrics by Robert Bridges
One of the joys of the Christmas season is the beautiful music that is played everywhere. Recently I heard the faint strains of Hark the Herald Angels Sing as I cruised up and down the grocery store aisles. Bing Crosby’s version of O Little Town of Bethlehem greeted me when I stepped into an elevator at a local mall. And when I tuned into satellite radio’s holiday station, I got to enjoy a melodious rendition of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.
The lyrics of the song above might not be as familiar to some, but this last movement of a Bach cantata has been played at many Christian festivities since it was written in the early 1700s. In addition to Christmas, you may have heard it at Easter and at weddings. The lyrics that were later added by Bridges are also striking. They call for us to look to Jesus, the joy of man’s desiring. His wisdom and love speak to us, drawing us into an amazing relationship that allows our souls to soar!
Friends, this is what I love most about Christmas. In the days ahead, we can’t help but focus on Jesus. The decorations, wrappings, food, and festivities don’t have to be distractions—instead, they can be constant reminders of what this holy season is all about! And that’s what I long for: I want to really know Jesus more and more this Christmas. I think Paul said it best this way:
I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death.
Philippians 3:7-10
Like the apostle, my heart’s desire is to know my Lord and Savior. I want to understand why He left the joys of Heaven in order to save us. I long to love the way He does, reaching out to both the saved and yet-to-be-saved—sharing with them about the joy that He has given me.
Much of the music of this blessed season reminds me of His truths. Let’s look at the final stanzas of Bach’s famous tune:
Through the way where hope is guiding,
Hark, what peaceful music rings;
Where the flock, in Thee confiding,
Drink of joy from deathless springs.
Theirs is beauty’s fairest pleasure;
Theirs is wisdom’s holiest treasure.
Thou dost ever lead Thine own
In the love of joys unknown.
Hope is indeed guiding us in this journey of life. Christmas and all its festivities merely point us back to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. So, enjoy the music! Drink in the sights and sounds of the season, and celebrate with family and friends. Most of all, get to know Jesus more through every joyful moment of the days and weeks ahead.
Merry Christmas from all of us at Sonkist Ministries!
Thought of the Month
O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born in us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel
From O Little Town of Bethlehem by Phillips Brooks and Lewis Redner
“Then Jonah went out to the east side of the city and made a shelter to sit under as he waited to see what would happen to the city. And the Lord God arranged for a leafy plant to grow there, and soon it spread its broad leaves over Jonah’s head, shading him from the sun. This eased his discomfort, and Jonah was very grateful for the plant.”
Jonah 4:5-6
What on earth does the prophet Jonah have to do with this month when we celebrate Thanksgiving? Plenty! Like so many of us, Jonah was blessed immensely by God—and in the passage above, we see how grateful he was for the Lord’s perfect provision in his time of need. But also like us, Jonah quickly forgot those blessings. In fact, when things got tough, this reluctant prophet got angry:
But God also arranged for a worm! The next morning at dawn the worm ate through the stem of the plant so that it withered away. And as the sun grew hot, God arranged for a scorching east wind to blow on Jonah. The sun beat down on his head until he grew faint and wished to die. “Death is certainly better than living like this!” he exclaimed. Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?” “Yes,” Jonah retorted, “even angry enough to die!” Jonah 4:7-9
It’s almost impossible to believe that this is the same individual who cried from the belly of the great fish for God to save him! After disobeying God, Jonah desperately prayed for help, even making promises to God: “ But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the Lord alone!” (Chapter 2, verse 9). One can’t miss the irony of a man, saved from death, wishing to die because a plant perished!
Yet if I take an honest look at my life, how many times has my gratitude shifted—sometimes dramatically—because I felt slighted by someone or even by God Himself? And when I might tend to judge someone like Jonah for being unthankful after all that the Lord had done for him, couldn’t others say the same thing about me? How often have I forgotten my blessings and instead focused on a particular problem or burden?
I’m not sure how you feel, but I want this season of Thanksgiving to be different. I don’t want to be appreciative for a day, like Jonah, and then slip into a spirit of ungratefulness when times get tough. I would love to grasp the bigger picture of what God is doing in my life and in my world. And I’d really like to remain consistent in my attitude of gratitude—not wavering because of some circumstance that goes awry or someone who doesn’t see things my way.
Where would you like to improve when it comes to thankfulness? How can you praise the Lord more for the good things He has done for you? And if God gives you something you don’t want—or takes away something that you do—can you still say “praise the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21b)?
The great news is that God can still use us, even when we’ve messed up on some of the simplest lessons about gratitude. Jonah helped save Nineveh, a city of 120,000 people, despite his flaws. If the Lord can do that kind of work, who knows what He has in store for us this month—and in the months ahead! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours from all of us at Sonkist Ministries!
Thought of the Month
“Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High.”
Psalm 50:14
He replied, “What is impossible for people is possible with God.”
Luke 18:27, NLT
Problems, or possibilities? This is a dilemma I’m faced with most days. Not which ones will appear, but rather what perspective I will have about various circumstances that somehow or other cross my path.
I’m sure you can relate to some of these scenarios too. Perhaps the car isn’t running right. Or that faucet is leaking again. Or the dog keeps digging up the grass. Maybe someone you know hasn’t done what he or she promised—again. Are these problems? Yes. But can they also be situations ripe with opportunity? You bet!
Now, you and I may not necessarily like the “opportunity”—whatever it may be—but none the less, we have a choice about how we will respond to virtually everything in our daily experiences. And there’s a very good chance that some of these experiences will include problems. How do I know? Because Jesus Himself spoke frankly about this fact of life:
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
Note that Jesus, in addition to foretelling of future dilemmas, also gave His followers hope to be able to handle these times of difficulty: “I have overcome the world.” Indeed, repeatedly in Scripture, we find the best approach for addressing life’s problems: all things are possible with God (see Luke 18:27 above). Not only can He aid us by changing our perspective about problems, but the Lord can assist us in dealing with whatever comes our way. Here are a few other passages that verify this reality:
Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!
Jeremiah 32:17
I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you.
Job 42:2
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
Ephesians 3:20
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
Isaiah 41:10
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
James 1:5
More of these truths can be found throughout Scripture, offering us hope—even when experiencing the most trying circumstances. Why not take some time this upcoming season to consider the difficulties that you’re dealing with from a slightly different perspective? What problems could turn into possibilities with God’s assistance? Are there ways you can trust Him more, even if the situation seems overwhelming or intolerable?
Whatever you do, remember Jesus’ gentle reminder to everyone who follows Him: “I have told you all this so you may have peace in me.” Perhaps this divine peace will be the best blessing we will receive this upcoming Harvest season! Happy Fall from all of us at Sonkist Ministries!
Thought of the Month
Turn to me and have mercy,
for I am alone and in deep distress.
My problems go from bad to worse.
Oh, save me from them all!
Feel my pain and see my trouble.
Forgive all my sins.
Psalm 25:16-18
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