Thursday, March 15, 2007

He Shall Strengthen Thine Heart

Ps.27:1-14
Verse 1 - The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

David proclaims the Lord as his very light and his salvation. There is no light but God Who is light and the Word that comes from and is Him is pure and illuminating light sent to draw all men to Himself. This divine light comes in many forms. It comes as truth which can be guidance or correction, or it comes as revelation about Who God is to the universe as a whole or Who He is toward the least of us.

So before we came to know the Lord as our salvation we walked in total darkness even while sometimes acting out a religious part. As a matter of fact we thought darkness was light and light was darkness. We could never follow the light because we did not see it and until God drew us by the Alpha light of salvation led by the Savior we were immobilized in a very dark world indeed. Destitute of hope and immersed inside a personal world of depravity we went through the motions as if we knew something when in fact we were clueless.

And then after a period of preparation planned and carried out by the Holy Spirit we were confronted by the light of truth that shone from and through the Lord Jesus and His glory. Those words may seem like Spiritual hyperbole but in reality they do not do justice to the event that unveils Jesus the Lord and Savior to a desperate sinner whose only hope is the light that now shines upon his heart. The Scriptures declare that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. And not just any light which could resemble earthly light, no, this light is divine and penetrating even to the innermost parts of any sinner and saint.

When people are frightened by the darkness what do they call for? Yes, light. The Psalmist David exhorts us that we should not be afraid of anything and anyone. This Psalmist, the Patriarch David, knew something about fearlessness. Bears, Lions, and other Kings were no match for his courage because he knew the Light, the Lord God Almighty. We serve the Creator and Master of all the universe so how can we be afraid of anything? The Scriptures declare that men are afraid of death but when the Lord of Life gives us the Holy Spirit and with Him comes the eternal regeneration of God’s power.

Are you afraid of bills? The future? People’s opinion? Or possibly death itself? I echo the words that were spoken to the shepherds on that first incarnate night, “Fear not!”. Is it not the greatest feeling of knowing that we are completely held in Jehovah’s hand and no one can pluck us from His eternal hand of redemption? So I leave you with this thought, take a deep breath, look around at your circumstances, and let the faith in the Lord Jesus fill your soul. God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. We have eternity within us, not of works of righteousness which we have done, but by the blood of the Lamb and His amazing grace. Rejoice and be glad!!

Ps.27:14 - …and He shall strengthen thine heart…

And here is a post from Possessing the Treasure which Mike wrote almost at the same time as I wrote mine with neither of us aware of the other. All to His glory!


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amen Rick! God is our strength and shield and the light we need comes from the life in Him which He gives to all His children. Amen, Amen, Amen!!!!

In Christ

Mike Ratliff

Anonymous said...

Great posts, yours and MIke.

Phil. 4:13 For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.

Cristina