Our Protector


Prayer: “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble; He will conceal me under the cover of His tent; He will lift me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will  offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make     melody to the Lord.”

Read: Psalm 27 
http://www.esvbible.org/Psalm 27:1-14

Think about It: There are certain readings that should be so familiar to us that when the words are read or spoken they wash over us with a knowing that brings peace. For many, Psalm 23 is best known and oft recited. Among the ranks of familiar and comforting Psalms should also be our reading for this week, Psalm 27. Hopefully, your heart stirs just a little when you hear the words “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?”

As we think about authority this week, perhaps we should examine what makes authority a good thing. In our culture, we tend to be rather rebellious and are sometimes even encouraged to strain against those who are placed over us. We have an ethos of independence that causes us to view authority with skepticism and doubt. (And frankly, they occasionally have earned that attitude.) But God, in His infinite wisdom, knows that with authority properly used comes safety, security, and peace. And what we find in our Heavenly Father is an authority that need never cause us to rise up in rebellion, for with Him is perfect peace and security. The fact that He is the ultimate authority in our lives is what makes Him the most secure and perfect place for us to abide. When we walk with Him, there is no one else who can cause us true fear, for He is stronger than anything we stand against in our lives.

There is so much in this particular Psalm that is worthy of meditation and repetition. Choose a few of the verses to write out on a piece of paper you can carry around with you. Commit those verses to memory and allow them to resonate throughout your life. See what changes God can make in your thinking and behavior by the power of His Word.

Prayer: Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path   because of my enemies. Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence. I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

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