Thursday Reflection September 2, 2021
Thursday Reflection September 2, 2021
The fear of the Lord brings hope
Who are they that fear the Lord? He will teach them the way that they should choose.
Psalms 25:12
Greeting friends!
We’ve made it to September. I pray God’s continued blood coverage over us as we journey through this pilgrim land.
As I look at what is happening in our country and by extension the world, there is so much to cause confusion, anxiety and stress. At the top of this list is the matter of vaccination. Should one get vaccinated or not? This topic is causing a lot persons to become stressed. The matter of crime and violence is still a thorn in our flesh. The COVID-19 spike causing people to be further afraid. Some have not recovered from Tropical Storm Ida but we learn that there are more systems out there being formed. Then there is the personal stress at home, school, work and in the community and for many they are mourning the loss of loved ones.
During these times of uncertainty, anxiety and stress, there are some of us who feel alone and afflicted. King David was not foreign to these feelings as he in Psalm 25 makes mention of these feelings in verse 16-18. Hear King David, “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart, and bring me out of my distress. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.”
It’s not easy going through stressful situations. They cause us to lose hope and become despondent. But even though David was going through this situation, hear David in verse 12 speaking to us and offering hope, ” Who are they that fear the Lord? He will teach them the way that they should choose.”
Let me briefly break down this verse for us.
Who are they that fear the Lord?
David is speaking about those who have decided to follow the Lord completely. The fear of the Lord is not just going to church or praying in the morning and evening. No! The fear of the Lord is having a serious relationship with God. Those who don’t have it, don’t worry yourself you can have it now and those who already have it BIG UP YOURSELF!
He will TEACH them
For those who fear the Lord, you’ve gone into another realm and another dimension. For many of us who are stressed, confused and anxious we think we’re alone, but this verse tells us that God is there with you. How do we know this? David says God will TEACH you. God cannot teach you if He’s not there with you. So God will teach you.
I believe teachers will have a greater understanding of this phrase. Why? I believe some teachers become teachers not because it’s a job, but they see it as an opportunity to not only give knowledge, but to impact students in a meaningful way to help them make inform decisions in their daily life. This is what God is doing for us. God is shaping us and moulding us. What is God shaping us for?
The way
In this time of confusion we do not know what to do? Where to go? Which path to take? God teaches us and what He has taught us helps us to know what path to take. Everything that happens in life is for a reason and everything is to help us know what path to take. Many of us don’t know where to go from here, but don’t worry God has a path for you, let him show you.
That they should choose
Ultimately the choice of the path we choose belongs to us. God will teach us what path to take, but WE have to choose to take that path. Of course if we choose the path opposite to what God has chosen then we are going to be in further problems. So it’s wise to choose God’s path. This matter of choice affects every aspect of our life. We choose… We choose whether to allow the uncertainties of the situations we face to stress us or to be anxious about them or we choose to give them to God and let him show us the path to take. We choose whether we want to have hope or not. It’s a choice!
Ultimately God shows us the way to go, but we have to choose. In the midst of all that is going on choose God and choose hope and God will show you the path to take.
Shalom
Christopher Euphfa