Mar 13 2022

Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

David most likely wrote Psalm 40 after experiencing some kind of deliverance, possibly redemption from sin. The Psalm is a praise and prayer to God, and talks about how the Lord blesses those who trust in Him instead of turning to pride. It is an invitation to put our hope in the Lord instead of ourselves. We'll break down this verse to examine it more closely.

The Psalm begins by saying that the people who trust in the Lord are blessed. What does it mean to trust in the Lord? I think it means to be able to turn away from anxiety and worry and come to Jesus with our problems and questions. It means that we lay what is making us afraid at His feet, believing that He will know how to handle it better than we will. Trusting the Lord is synonymous with surrender—it means we give ourselves entirely to Him, accepting that whatever He does or prompts us to do will be right.

We receive many blessings from trusting in the Lord. When we cast our cares on Him, we no longer feel the burden of them. Instead, we have peace that surpasses all understanding. We are able to go to sleep at night without being afraid, to rest without feeling like we aren't doing enough, and to pray audacious prayers believing that they will be answered. Casting our cares on the Lord is saying that we know they are better in His hands, and then freeing ourselves from worry.

It takes a lot of humility to trust in the Lord. By trusting in Him, we're acknowledging that He knows better than we do—so much better that we're fine with not understanding how He is working or what He is doing. We are rejecting the lie that we could ever be self-sufficient, and we're living in the truth that God will care for us better and already loves us more than we could ever imagine.

As we grow in our discovery of this reality, we will be able to experience the many blessings that come with trust. We will be able to have peace in all circumstances, and, like King David, praise God for His unfailing love.

Dear Lord, I thank you for blessing those who trust in you. I want to trust you more and more so that I can walk in the fullness of everything that you have to offer me. I choose peace instead of self-sufficiency, and I thank you for your love for me. In Jesus' name, amen.

Mar 12 2022

But the Lord your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies. :

In 2 Kings 17, we learn about the final destruction of the kingdom of Israel. The king of Assyria sends people to rule over the Israelites. The kingdom of Israel is dismantled and the Lord's protection leaves them. Today's verse (taken from the end of the chapter) repeats the covenant in which God promised to deliver the Israelites out of the hands of their enemies if they served Him—but they did not serve Him. Thus, they were delivered into the hands of their enemies. This verse is a powerful reminder that the Lord's promises and covenants come to pass.

The Lord had delivered the Israelites many times. When the Egyptians were chasing after them, the Lord parted the Red Sea. Of course, it was not the Lord's desire that the kingdom of Israel be toppled by the Assyrians and overrun by ungodly people. However, the Lord's protection was contingent on their continuing to serve Him. They had turned their backs on Him, and eventually, they reaped what they had sown.

This shows us that God takes obedience to His commandments seriously. It matters to Him that we do what He says. This means that it matters that we avoid sin. We live in a world where so many things are considered normal and okay—but this is not the case in God's kingdom.

The Lord will make good on all of His promises. He had fulfilled his part of the covenant with Israel. He gave them victory over their enemies and protected them for centuries. However, because of their repeated rebellion and rejection of His promises, God eventually turned them over to the Assyrians. This was not an overnight process, as the Lord is merciful. Rather, it was the culmination of centuries of disobedience. To avoid this happening in our own lives, we should remember to stay near to the Lord by being followers of Jesus.

It's important not to take for granted the protection that the Lord has given us, as the Israelites did. Instead, we should focus on spending time with Him daily and seeking to honor Him—and He will make good on His promise to honor us in His kingdom.

Dear Lord, I thank you for your goodness and kindness. Help me to stay near to you always. I don't want to drift away from you; I want to stay close to you. Help me to follow you, especially when it's difficult, and to not take for granted the many benefits of knowing you. In Jesus' name, amen.


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