The LORD Says, “I Will Rescue Those Who Love Me. I Will Protect Those Who Trust In My Name. When They Call On Me, I Will Answer

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The LORD Says, “I Will Rescue Those Who Love Me.

I Will Protect Those Who Trust In My Name.

When They Call On Me, I Will Answer;

Scripture

Psalm 91

14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
    I will protect those who trust in my name.

15 When they call on me, I will answer;
    I will be with them in trouble.
    I will rescue and honor them.

16 I will reward them with a long life
    and give them my salvation.”

Observation

A lot of us during this pandemic have read Psalm 91! And maybe if you are like me you might have read it several times! When I read this chapter I understand that can't just name it and claim it. What I mean when I say that is this – you and I cannot arrogantly say that just because we are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ that the Corona virus or some other horrible disease won't negatively impact our lives.

God has never said that we would be exempt from suffering. What He has promised is that He would walk with us through the suffering.

Do I believe that the Lord can protect me? – I absolutely do! Do I believe that He will protect me from everything – I also absolutely know that He will not.

I talked to a very angry young man the other night at the hospital who said, “If there is a God and He is so good then why did He let my grandmother suffer so much before she died?” He went on to say, “She went to church, she helped everybody, she was such a wonderful person – how could a good God allow that?”

I did my best to share with him that God is God and that He doesn't exempt His children from experiencing suffering. And we can't fully understand why God allows suffering, especially the suffering of His children, but He does.

Recently I talked to a young pastor, 39 years old, (any person younger than me is young) who was a patient at the hospital and he shared with me that he and his wife both had Covid 19. And this week I sat with a 47 year old Christian man as he watched his 43 year old wife's life slip away. Both of these men were strong believers and yet both of them experienced suffering.

These were two reminders for me that just because I am a follower of Jesus it doesn't exempt me from suffering.

Psalm 91:1-6,9-12

1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
    will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
    he is my God, and I trust him.

3 For he will rescue you from every trap
    and protect you from deadly disease.

4 He will cover you with his feathers.
    He will shelter you with his wings.
    His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
    nor the arrow that flies in the day.

6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
    nor the disaster that strikes at midday.

9 If you make the Lord your refuge,
    if you make the Most High your shelter,

10 no evil will conquer you;
    no plague will come near your home.

11 For he will order his angels
    to protect you wherever you go.

12 They will hold you up with their hands
    so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.

Application

God's faithful promises are my armor and my protection!

How about you? Are you holding on to all of God's promises?

John 16:33

33 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.”

Isaiah 43:2-3

2 When you go through deep waters,
    I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
    you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
    you will not be burned up;
    the flames will not consume you.
3 For I am the Lord, your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I am trusting in You and I am holding tightly to all of Your promises. I know that nothing touches my life without Your permission. I realize, even though I don't fully understand, that suffer is part of life. Thank You that even when I am faced with adversity and suffer I know that You are right there with me. You will never leave me nor forsake me. You have me in the Palm of Your Hand.

I pray for my friends who are going through a time of suffering right now. I pray that they sense Your Presence, Your Power, and Your Love in their life. Give them Your Strength today.

Daily Bible Reading: Zechariah 10,11,12; Psalms 126; Luke 14; I added: Psalm 1, Psalm 91, Proverbs 1

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