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As children we often have certain things that may bring us fear. Mine was fear of the water. My dad tried and tried to get me to swim in an old swimming hole near the little town I grew up in. But I never learned because I was too fearful. Some of us are afraid of the dark. As we get older, we still have fears, but they may now be rejection, isolation, health issues or fear of people.
The last few years of the pandemic have been very fearful times as we experienced isolation, death and suffering. Illness, relationships, job pressures all bring their own fears and concerns. Now, many feel the concern about inflation, world peace and crime. How do we cope with those anxious times of life when life is overwhelming? Scripture gives us some answers. After my mother died, I found this underlined in her Bible as a favorite Psalm.
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation--
so why should I be afraid?
The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger,
so why should I tremble?
2 When evil people come to devour me,
when my enemies and foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.
3 Though a mighty army surrounds me,
my heart will not be afraid.
Even if I am attacked,
I will remain confident.
4 The one thing I ask of the Lord--
the thing I seek most--
is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
delighting in the Lord's perfections
and meditating in His Temple.
5 For he will conceal me there when troubles come;
He will hide me in his sanctuary.
He will place me out of reach on a high rock.
6 Then I will hold my head high
above my enemies who surround me.
At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy,
singing and praising the Lord with music.
7 Hear me as I pray, O Lord.
Be merciful and answer me!
8 My heart has heard you say, "Come and talk with me."
And my heart responds, "Lord, I am coming."
9 Do not turn your back on me.
Do not reject your servant in anger.
You have always been my helper.
Don't leave me now; don't abandon me,
O God of my salvation!
10 Even if my father and mother abandon me,
the Lord will hold me close.
11 Teach me how to live, O Lord.
Lead me along the right path,
for my enemies are waiting for me.
12 Do not let me fall into their hands.
For they accuse me of things I've never done;
with every breath they threaten me with violence.
13 Yet I am confident I will see the Lord's goodness
while I am here in the land of the living.
14 Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.
It is comforting to know God walks alongside us even when we feel abandoned, afraid, or rejected.
Notice a few fears addressed.
We fear danger.
Sometimes we experience real physical danger, other times we feel the emotions and feelings of heartache and concern.
This must be a rough place for the writer who talks about
"dangerous" enemies "chasing him" and feeling surrounded. Have you ever felt like everything is encircling you and you can't escape? The writer says God provided "shelter." How do we reach that place?
Living in God's house which represents His presence in Scripture.
Meditating and thinking about how God loves and protects you.
Worshiping, singing, praying and rejoicing. Ask God to help you find joy in tough times.
We experience the challenges of life
Verse five says:
"For he will conceal me there when troubles come;
He will hide me in his sanctuary.
He will place me out of reach on a high rock."
Trouble, difficulty, obstacles and challenges arise. Finances, jobs, illness and raising children bring unique stresses. Have you ever wanted to hide from it all?
Ask God to provide a secure hiding place or refuge for you. Have you ever been out in a bad rainstorm and finally found a shelter to wait it out? Sometimes we need to "step out of the rain" and simply regroup in God's care and presence.
We feel abandoned
Verses 9-10 expresses this prayer:
"Do not turn your back on me.
Do not reject your servant in anger.
You have always been my helper.
Even if my father and mother abandon me,
the Lord will hold me close."
Rejection is real. Abandonment by parents, a spouse or friend is painful. Even the feeling that God has abandoned you is real.
Jesus experienced these feelings of abandonment on the cross, though not truly abandoned, He felt like it. Some of you have experienced a lifetime of abandonment. I have good news. The writer reminds us even if family forsakes us, God will take us in.
So how do we respond to fear, concern, danger or abandonment?
We express our pain and feelings
In verses 11-12, the writer expresses the fear and pain he is going through.
"Teach me how to live, O Lord.
Lead me along the right path,
for my enemies are waiting for me.
Do not let me fall into their hands.
For they accuse me of things I've never done;
with every breath they threaten me with violence."
Now that's a tough place to be in! It's ok to tell God how you feel.
We express hope and confidence in God
In verses 9-10, despite what he is going through, he remembers that God is his "helper," that the Lord "holds him close" and he is "confident" in God's goodness.
"You have always been my helper.
Even if my father and mother abandon me,
the Lord will hold me close. I am confident I will see the Lord's goodness
while I am here in the land of the living.
The good news is, even if I experience troubles, danger, suffering, even abandonment and all life's challenges, I have several positive things to help me.
God's Light will lead us through the dark times (Psalm 27:1). In some way God will rescue and help us, ultimately giving us a home in heaven (Psalm 27:1). Further God will be a "safe house." A fortress is a place of protection from harm from outside forces.
I can't promise you a carefree life, but I can promise you when all is said and done, God will be right beside you and give you what you need.
Finally, God's presence during all we experience, good and bad, gives us hope. In Psalm 27:4 the temple represented God's presence, where God lives. We find utter hope in God's presence so that no matter what, we know we are not outside His care. The writer, though in terrible danger, recalls how God has always been his helper (Psalm 27:9).
When my brother was dying of cancer, we gathered and were singing and sharing around his bed. I was heartbroken, but read Psalm 23 and we talked about God's presence even in the valley. My oldest brother pointed his finger at each sibling, called us by name and said "Dan, Fred, Becky, Phil and Debbie, don't you forget, no matter what, God is with you." We experienced the reality of faith and confidence even in death, and found hope in the Hope Giver – God himself. Are you fearful, lack confidence, troubled or even abandoned? May you experience God's life that gives light, hope and confidence in His Presence.
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Dan Hamilton is chaplain at Geisinger-Lewistown Hospital.