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We’ve been studying David at our Winter Fridays. The psalm we read today was written by him.
Around 73 of the 150 psalms are attributed to David. That is almost half of the entire book.
He was a talented poet. He had the sensitivity of an artist and the insight of a theologian.
When I look at David’s life, I see a common theme. It is that God was always with him.
He lived his life with this understanding, in all circumstances.
God was never separate from or outside the reality of his life. God was intimately involved in his life.
We can see this at the beginning of today’s psalm—
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)
Even in danger, David never lost his confidence. Knowing that God was with him gave him strength.
It gave him the courage to face Goliath when no one else wanted to. It gave him the wisdom to spare Saul’s life even when it was to his advantage.
It made him the spiritual rock that he was.
What does it mean to know that God is always with us? What did it mean for David? I asked myself that question.
This is something that we hear often. But what is implied in that expression?
To know that God is with us is to know that we are LOVED.
There is no difference. They are very much connected.
That we are loved reveals itself in the way God cares for us.
Knowing this is the foundation of our faith. It is the source of our confidence in the midst of trouble.
David knew that he was loved. It was not head knowledge.
He experienced God’s love surrounding him all throughout his life. Not only in his successes and victories, but especially in situations that seemed impossible and life-threatening.
He was saved numerous times from Saul’s attempts to kill him. He was pulled back from the frontlines just as he thought he had to go to war against his own people.
When he was lost and unsure of what to do, David saw God’s hand rescuing him – like a ray of light piercing through the darkness.
God’s steadfast love became real to him in those moments.
We don’t know the exact context or background of today’s psalm.
It is obvious that he is in some kind of danger. People are against him and they want his life.
Yet, he does not easily waver in his confidence. He knows that he is loved and God will take care of him.
For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will set me high on a rock. (Psalm 27:5)
If my father and mother forsake me,
the LORD will take me up. (Psalm 27:10)
Whenever difficulties come, the first thing we do is panic.
We become fearful. We lose perspective and get overwhelmed.
We look for solutions to get rid of our problems quickly. We make rash and impulsive decisions.
We end up complicating our situations even more. We feel more powerless and helpless than before.
All this comes from believing that we are alone.
That is why we ask ourselves, “Why is this happening to me?” We feel totally isolated.
Is God really with me? In other words, we are asking – “Am I loved by God?”
That was Saul.
He lived in constant fear. It stemmed from his belief that he was totally alone.
Unlike David, God was not a part of his reality. Only himself. His life became all about him trying to deal with his problems.
But it didn’t better his situation. It only led him further and further into darkness. It ultimately destroyed him.
In that sense, dealing with the challenges of life is not so much a question of what to do, but WHO WE ARE.
It is not a matter of finding effective solutions, but our IDENTITY.
When the storms come, what gets rattled is our sense of self. Everything else in our life feels shaky as a result.
If our identity is firmly rooted, we can withstand the storm. If our identity is fragile, we will be knocked down by the storm.
That is what our Hi-C students reflected on at their retreat last weekend.
The theme was, “Be Who You Are”.
To be a rock, we need to cultivate a healthy and strong identity. Adolescence is perhaps the most formative time for that.
Cultivating a healthy sense of self begins with hearing who God says that we are.
The first thing God tells us is that we are loved – as Jesus heard at his baptism—
And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:11)
We are not loved because of anything we have done.
It is because that is who God is. God is love.
We were loved even before we were born. Our very existence is the evidence of God’s love.
To know that we are loved is where everything starts. It is the bedrock of our life and identity.
Do you know that you are loved? Do you believe that?
Remind yourself daily of this truth.
I AM LOVED.
Every morning. During the day. At the end of the night. I think it can be a good spiritual practice for Lent.
When we rest in God’s love, the power of fear will lose its grip over us. It will no longer control or dictate the way we live.
The most visible indication of the absence of love in our life is the presence of fear. From there comes hatred and anger, envy and jealousy.
Where love is present, fear cannot exercise its power.
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18)
Whether you feel it or not, God’s love always surrounds you. That will never change.
There is never a moment when you are away or apart from God. His love will accompany you through all the stages of your life.
David said—
Where can I go from your spirit?
Or where can I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there;
if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
If I take the wings of the morning
and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me fast. (Psalm 139:7-10)
Hearing this, I also thought of what St. Paul said.
Like David, he lived with the deep understanding that he was loved. He knew that nothing could separate him from God.
No, in all these things we are more than victorious through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39)
UNCERTAINTY seems to be the word that captures the mood of today.
Not that our life was more certain before. But what is happening around us seems to amplify the feeling of uncertainty even more.
People are stressed and on edge. They are struggling not just financially, but mentally as well. They seem burdened and down.
In some ways, this feels like the next big challenge that we are facing since the pandemic.
How we choose to go through this period will be very important.
Even though our circumstances may tell us otherwise, remember that you are loved. You don’t have to do anything.
First, simply rest in God’s love. Find refuge in God. Be still and look to him.
Be strong and courageous, as David said—
Wait for the LORD;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the LORD! (Psalm 27:14)
You are not alone. God is always with you.
God will stretch out his hand and deliver you. God’s goodness will surround you and follow you. God will help you come out of the storm stronger than before.
This is the time for us to be shaped into a ROCK.
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