Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Tuesday, January 15, 2019

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-01-15-2019

This is devotional thought number 22 in our devotional series, “The Gospel According to Psalms.”

“Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, And from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, And under his wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; Nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; Nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, And ten thousand at thy right hand; But it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold And see the reward of the wicked.” (Psalm 91:3–8).

Yesterday, we talked a little bit about how this blessed song relates to the time of trouble or tribulation right before Jesus returns. Today, I want to take a closer look. We have already established that God is indeed able to take care of His children through any trial, temptation, and difficulty. Let’s continue to give thanks for this.

As the hymn writer wrote, we can be under God’s wings safely abiding forever. This is great news considering the horror stories we have been teaching in many of our churches through the years about the time of trouble. I do not want to understate the difficulty God’s people will experience during that time. Daniel prophesied that it would be unlike anything we have ever experienced. Do note, however, that does not mean worse than the 1260 years of persecution prophesied in Matthew 24 where millions of people lost their lives at the hands of Papal Rome. This time, God will preserve the lives of His people so He will have someone to take to heaven who will not have tasted death, and will have had the perfect image of Christ stamped upon their characters. Yes, it will be perhaps more difficult spiritually than we have ever experienced; where we will get a glimpse of how Jesus suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane as He aligned His will with His Father’s. We will get a glimpse of the excruciating separation He experienced on the cross as He felt eternally abandoned by His Father. We will experience the wrestling with God Jacob experienced on Mt. Peniel, as he wondered whether he could be forgiven and cleansed from his years of trickery, and was on the run from Esau. These kinds of trials will all converge upon us as God’s people are on the run from evil men who will be thirsty for our blood. But, as God prepared a table for Elijah, to be fed by ravens, God will prepare a table for us in the presence our enemies. We will not need to fear evil; for God will be with us.

I would live to encourage my brothers and sisters all around the world today, that our trials will not even be close to those who hate love and seek to destroy us as God’s wrath will be unleashed without mixture (with mercy) for the very first time in history. God will repay those who have refused to come into the ark of safety. He will repay those who are bloodthirsty if they don’t repent before that time. He will not have mercy; she will have made her final call in that day. But for you, if you remain faithful, God’s truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; Nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; Nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, And ten thousand at thy right hand; But it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold And see the reward of the wicked.

This has been the gospel according to Psalms. Live by it!—L. David Harris (