Shielded and protected . . .

 

1 Samuel 21–22; Psalm 37; Ezekiel 1; 1 Corinthians 3

It’s hard to describe the emotions of the past day. Yesterday I was attacked and accused. Like most women, I tend to blame myself for the wrong that others might do to me. The illustration for this: a man bumps into a chair and says, “Who left that chair there?” A woman bumps into a chair and says, “Oh, I am so clumsy.”

This time I put out the chair so the man would realize he was clumsy, but he turned and accused me of being unkind for trying to help him with a huge problem. The confusion came when I asked God to show me what I’d done in error and He didn’t. He totally absolved my actions and even praised my motivation. This morning, still thinking I must be the clumsy one, I prayed again:

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23–24)

Today’s first reading describes David fleeing Saul who is trying to kill him. Instead of striking back, he associates himself with others who are in desperate situations. I can relate to that!

Then the second reading is subtitled in my Bible with, “He will not forsake His saints” and I wept as I read Psalm 37. David was not a perfect person but he was God’s child and God assured him in these forty verses that he is blessed and those who went against him were the ones in danger of judgment, not David.

Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! . . . . Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. . . . The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever; they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance . . . . The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in His way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand . . . . Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever. For the Lord loves justice; He will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever . . . . The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip. The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death. The Lord will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial . . . . The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their stronghold in the time of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him. (Psalm 37)

The bottom line is that I am clumsy and rebuked this other person without much tact, but God is my refuge and protection. This is grace. I don’t deserve His unbelievable kindness, but because I belong to Jesus by faith, He will not forsake me or accuse me. Jesus bears my burdens and treats me as His precious child. It is not that He takes sides when I goof up, but that He faithfully cherishes and protects those He calls His own.

APPLY: I’ve learned how to depend on Him to be my Lord and Savior, to hear and answer my prayers, to love me and forgive my sin. In this experience He shows me that when the battle heats up, He stands beside me to protect me and will not tolerate those who accuse me or put me down. His sacrifice covers all my sin, realized and confessed or done in ignorance, including anything the forces of evil uses to make me feel defeated. Jesus is my shield and protector and as His child, I can depend on Him to be my place of refuge.