God is Protector

November 21, 2010

Background Scripture: Psalm 91
Lesson Passage: Psalm 91:1 – 6; 9 – 16

I recall times in my life as a teenager when life appeared to be getting fairly complex. There was so much to learn about friends and relationships that up to that point were not very important to me at all. Some days, life could seem pretty overwhelming and that feeling could sometimes extend for days on end. It seemed as though trouble was to be found everywhere. It was at those times that I began to seek out a quiet place where I could temporarily unplug from the world and try to wrap my mind around all of the situations and circumstances that were apparently starting to complicate my life. When you grow up in a relatively large family (I had nine siblings) it could be difficult finding a quiet place unless one would physically leave home for a while. Lucky for me we lived in the country so I would just grab a rifle or shotgun and start walking for the woods that were about a half mile away. That walk was normally long enough to provide me with the time I needed so that I didn’t have to spend much time in the woods. My quiet place was not a space but a journey. When I grew up and left home for college and then after that to a career, I missed those walks that afforded me the privilege of escape from the rat race and troubles of life. Later, I discovered another place of solitude and reflection that was even better than a walk to the woods. This place is the one that the psalmist refers to in Psalm 91. Many times I wish I had found this place first but nevertheless, I am happy that I found it.

There is no question of whether trouble will come but rather a question of when trouble will come. Whether we like it or not, some problems are just much bigger than us no matter how young or old we are. When our problems are too big for us to handle, we need help. When our problems won’t go away, sometimes we need a place to go to escape our problems. To whom do you run or where do you hide when hell hounds are on your trail? We all have tribulations in life. Jesus reminded his followers that in the world we shall have tribulation. The psalmist in our lesson today offers the answer to these questions. If we hide in God’s shadow, then God will protect us. In speaking of the shadow of God as a hiding place, the psalmist used a Hebrew metaphor to describe the protection afforded by God to those that seek his presence. One must be close enough to God to abide in his shadow. When one is close enough to be in God’s shadow, metaphorically, there is no fear of what the enemy may desire to do. There within his shadow, God becomes both a safe haven and a military post for spiritual warfare. One’s position in God brings all of this to pass. Evil traps that are set will become ineffective and death will no longer threaten the well being of God’s elect. All threats are neutralized. The terror of the evil one, spiritual warfare, death, or anything else that may be debilitating are all left in God’s hand. Although the world around you may fall apart and be reduced to rubble, those who trust in God will not be overcome by any of it. God will send guardian angels to reassure his elect that they are being kept by his mighty power. God’s elect have all of the promises of God to stand on when times are difficult. And no matter what troubles may come, we are assured that God is our protector.

Robert C. Hudson
November 11, 2010

God’s Comforting Presence

October 31, 2010

Background Scripture: Psalm 63
Lesson Passage: Psalm 63

I believe that all of us experience times in our Christian walk when God’s presence seems distant. Sometimes this appears to happen as a result of our own behavior or even failure to act. At other times it seems to occur at the moment of indecision when we really want God to give us some clear directions. Whatever the time or occasion may be, we find ourselves groping for some tangible evidence of God’s presence with us. As we seek God, he always comes through for us. When he does, we are moved from concern and frustration to joy and excitement. It is exhilarating to go from longing and seeking to satisfaction and praise. How do we make that transition? One of the ways we transition from problems to praise is by meditating on God’s word. Meditation requires quiet time. We need a time and/or place where all of the distractions of this world can be tuned out so that we can just think and reflect on God’s goodness. Meditation allows us to reflect on God’s prior actions in our lives as well as on the promises in his word. Through meditation, we are somehow able to connect God’s promises with the anticipation of a brighter future. With such a wonderful gift of God through meditation, then meditation should be a regular activity in our day to day living. When should we meditate? For many of us, nighttime is the right time for meditation. In some cases, nighttime is the time when much of the activities that surround us in the day shut down. For certain, this would have been the case during the time of David. The wilderness of Judah was the setting for the occasion of the writing of this psalm. David was there in hiding from his enemy. While there, he was meditating on the comfort of God’s presence. Nighttime would have given David a temporary reprieve from pursuit by his enemy. While they would have rested in preparation for another day of search and destroy, David rested in the comfort of God’s presence through meditation. This is a very important lesson for us to learn. If we have become frustrated with our enemies, we can be assured that the fate of the enemies of the children of God is destruction. We are benefactors of God’s loving kindness towards us. God’s loving kindness is worthy of praise for it is greater than life itself because God’s reach is beyond even the grave. When God is our protector, who then should we fear? While our enemies seek strife, God’s children should meditate on the peace and tranquility of God’s sanctuary. Through meditation, God will cause us to think of the sanctuary while dwelling in the wilderness of life. With that, no matter where we find ourselves, we can rest in God’s comforting presence.


Robert C. Hudson
October 25, 2010