Loop

“God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭46:1-3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Loop

I am a man with peculiar habits. During the course of my spiritual walk as a follower of Jesus, I have been known, or unknown, to put certain things on a loop. This is often the case when I am in the midst of spiritual warfare, and I am seeking reminders of the power of God working in my life.

It might be a favorite worship song, or a favorite sermon, or most often, a favorite passage in the Bible.

This morning, as I created the meme for my church, I encountered a well worn, oft read passage that I have gone to time and time again. Psalm 46 was written by Hezekiah as Israel faced an uncertain future under threat from the Assyrians. The great city Jerusalem had received a written threat from Sennacherib, and for a time dread had filled the city and the heart of Hezekiah.

Hezekiah did the only thing anyone can do, when the opposition seems insurmountable, and the there is nothing but uncertainty.

“Then Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said: “O Lord God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. Truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands—wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them. Now therefore, O Lord our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God, You alone.””
II Kings 19:15-19 NKJV

As if to illustrate the passage for me, the Lord has provided real world examples as the people of Ukraine are facing a similar situation that is filling this news today.

For the follower of Jesus, the Old Testament offers types and shadows that we can use by way of applications, for we face spiritual enemies, that seek to bombard us day and night.

It is in those moments when the enemy of our souls is threatening, that we must seek the Lord, and hang on to the familiar things that remind us. I have many stones of remembrance in my life, to take me back to moments when I found the Lord particularly faithful.

Through those reminders, I have confidence in the Lord, knowing that He is for me and loves me. Even in the most tumultuous moments, I have peace.

“There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah”
Psalms 46:4-7 NKJV

God is in the midst of me. I shall not be moved. He is my anchor, and carries those who have called upon Jesus for salvation through faith.

Brothers and sisters, we have a divine calling to go and tell, to declare His kingdom come. The things that we are observing in this world are but signs, telling us of massive change to come. As we go forth, we face the tumult and the stress, and the evil one challenging us, in the hope that we remain silent while the world burns.

By seeking to remember, to put the good things on a loop, we are putting on the armor of God.

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—”
Ephesians 6:13-18 NKJV

As we keep doing the holy things, we leave little room for the devil to get through with his fiery darts.

I am looking forward to the great day, when faith will replaced by sight, and the loops I have relied upon will be needed no more, for the Lord of my salvation will be ever before me.

Let us do whatever we have to do to remember, to have constantly embedded in our mind that God is for us, and let us be willful and deliberate in Sharing Jesus with everyone we can.

Time is short. Even those who do not believe sense that we are nearing the end of the age. We know that it will be the beginning of the reign of our God.

“Come, behold the works of the Lord, Who has made desolations in the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah”
Psalms 46:8-11 NKJV

Happy Sunday!

https://www.allaboutgod.com/the-roman-road.htm