Two Men, Two Prayers

Luke 18:9-14

I don’t think that anyone enjoys being around someone with an air of superiority, someone who thinks that they are so much better than others.  And what’s even worse than an ordinary pompous person, is one who is “religious” on top of it!  Many churches have their share of self-righteous people.  They are very unpleasant to be around.  Even God doesn’t like that type of behavior and attitude.  In our Gospel reading this week, Jesus teaches us a very important lesson, one that we can all learn from.

As our Scripture begins, Jesus told His audience another short parable.  Here He wanted to teach us a lesson about the spiritual danger of self-righteousness and thinking that oneself is better than others (vs. 9).   This parable is a rebuke to spiritual pride, along with a call to having genuine humility before God.  As Jesus would have looked around at the crowd He would have seen many who were self-righteous, especially in the Pharisees, who were filled with false confidence in their own morality and religious performances.

Jesus proceeded to describe two men who went to the Temple to pray (vs. 10).  Perhaps He had seen two exactly like them during one of His many visits to the Temple.  One of these men was a Pharisee, a very respected member of a Jewish sect who strictly observed the Old Testament Law, along with all of the religious traditions.  The other man was a tax collector.  Just like today, no one particularly cares for tax collectors.  However at that time they were especially hated by the Jewish people because they were looked on as collaborators with the hated Roman Empire, and a vast majority of them were also cheats.

As these two men entered the Temple there was a marked difference in their attitude and in their prayer (vs. 11-13).  The Pharisee stood front and center and prayed to himself, thanking God that he was so much better than other people, listing off several sins that he felt he had never done, and then even telling God how much better a man he was than that tax collector behind him.  His prayer was very self-centered as he boasted of all of his works, and comparing himself with others.  The Pharisee did not come to pray to God.  He came to talk about himself.  He did not once thank God for His mercy, grace, or forgiveness.

On the other hand, the tax collector humbly stood in the back, and kept his eyes down in prayer (vs. 13).  He knew his place before God.  Quietly in prayer to God, he smote his breast, acknowledging his sinfulness, and pleaded for God’s mercy.  The tax collector was sorry for his sins.  He had a heart of repentance.  Salvation begins with brokenness over sin, and a cry for God’s mercy, which is a posture that God will honor.

After a few minutes both men left the Temple, returning to their respective homes (vs. 14).  However, as Jesus specifically pointed out, they did not leave in the same condition.  Jesus told us that the tax collector returned justified.  His prayer was accepted by God.  He received forgiveness and God’s grace.  The Pharisee did not.  The Pharisee thought that by pointing out all of his good works and behavior he would impress God and receive His blessing.  He impressed himself, and many of the general population thought highly of the Pharisees.  However it did not impress God.  The tax collector’s humility and brokenness over his sins, his cries for God’s mercy reached His ears, and he was the one to receive God’s blessing.

The Bible clearly teaches us that it is not by our works that we receive salvation.  Many people falsely believe that all of their good works will earn them a spot in heaven, just like this Pharisee did.  However the Bible teaches us that we are justified by grace through faith, not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:24).  God resists the proud, which unfortunately was the Pharisees attitude, but instead He gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).  True righteousness is imputed to us through Jesus.  It is not earned by us.

Let us learn from the example of the two men who came into the Temple to pray.  Their attitude in the Temple made a big difference in their spiritual condition when they each left.  The Pharisee went home just the same as when he came - unrepentant and full of himself.  The tax collector went home forgiven by the Lord Jesus.  Let our attitude be that of this last man.

Paul's Final Words

II Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18

Let’s step back in time, back to ancient Rome in the year 65 AD.  We wander the city in search of one of several prisons, searching for one specific prisoner, the Apostle Paul.  He has been imprisoned before for his faith, yet always released.  However, this time it doesn’t look like he will be released, as Emperor Nero has ordered Christians to be executed.  Paul is held prisoner in the Mamertine Prison, in a dark, damp, underground prison cell, chained to the wall.  Each time he hears footsteps approaching, he doesn’t know if they come to lead him out to his impending execution.  While waiting, Paul writes one last letter to his son in the faith, Timothy.  Now that we are in the last chapter of that letter, we read his final words, his final testimony, and of his unwavering confidence in the Lord Jesus.

As we begin these final words of the Apostle Paul, we see that he knows that this is it, he won’t be leaving this prison alive (vs. 6).  He looks at his life as an offering to God, poured out in service to the Lord Jesus.  Paul wasn’t in a panic.  He viewed death not as a defeat, but as a departure.  Since the day of his conversion on the road to Damascus, some thirty or so years earlier, he had lived his life ready at all times to meet the Savior.  We, too, should live with readiness to meet the Lord.  We can face death with peace when our lives have been lived in obedience and faithfulness.

Paul looked back on his life of faith, and could testify that he had done all he could for the Lord (vs. 7).  His life was marked by spiritual warfare against the enemies of the Lord.  He had endured much hardship, but had finished the race God had set for him, and had kept the faith, not veering off into false doctrine.  The Christian life is not passive.  It is a fight, a race, and a stewardship.  We must guard the truth and persevere.  Keep a strong grip on Jesus, and then we can finish the race.  Keep the faith, and fight the good fight.  We can trust God to faithfully keep us.

Following Jesus is not easy, but there is a great reward for living righteously when facing temptation or hardship, the crown of righteousness.  Believers who pursue godliness and greatly desire Jesus’ return can look forward to that, and the life to come.  When we truly love Jesus’ return it will purify our walk (I John 3:2-3).  This verse rebukes worldly-mindedness, and encourages eternal perspectives.  God is a righteous Judge.  He sees and rewards faithfulness, even when others do not.

Paul then confided to Timothy a little of what happened at his trial, how those he might have counted on to defend him all deserted him and fled (vs. 16).  Paul was abandoned, which is a reminder that human support can fail, but God never does.  Faithfulness may mean standing alone.  Are we willing to stand for truth even if forsaken by friends or family?

Though friends or family may leave us, Jesus never abandons us.  He is faithful, and will never leave us (vs. 17).  Paul knew that he wasn’t really alone, as he acknowledged that Jesus was with him when everyone else fled (Hebrews 13:5-6).  Paul’s ultimate desire at his trial was not for his acquittal, but that the Gospel might be proclaimed.  In our trials, we must lean on the Lord’s strength, just as Paul did.  God will enable us to fulfill our calling, even when others fail us.

Paul’s final words here were not a promise of physical escape, but of spiritual preservation (vs. 18).  Paul expected martyrdom, yet he was still confident in eternal deliverance.  The knowledge that God is greater than anything Paul would ever face helped him to go through all the trials, imprisonments, beatings, torture, and confidently face his future.  God may not spare us from suffering, but He will preserve us from spiritual ruin, and bring us safely to heaven.  Paul ended with worship, which should remind us that all trials should lead to praise.

As we look back at Paul’s final words and testimony we see that God will reward those who finish well, so we need to make sure to keep on the course and guard the truth.  God will never forsake His children.  Others likely may, but we can trust Him when they fail us.  There is a crown that awaits all those that eagerly await Jesus’ return.  This should encourage us to be living for eternity, and not for this present time.  In every season of life, whether in good times, in trials, or in persecutions, we need to always glorify God.

Desiring God's Presence

Psalm 84

When we love someone, naturally we want to be with them as much as possible.  Depending on how romantic we are, we could say that our hearts are crying out to be with them!  When we love a certain place, we want to go there, too.  It may be to the mountains, to the seashore, or to the family farm.  In our psalm for this week, the psalmist describes how much he desires to be where God is, to be in His presence, and to be where He made His earthly dwelling in the Tabernacle.  Let’s look into our psalm.

Psalm 84 was written by the Sons of Korah.  As we have discussed before, these were Levites involved in Temple worship, who were descended from Korah, a man who rebelled against Moses, and thus against God’s prescribed order.  God’s judgment on Korah and others involved in his rebellion was the earth opening and swallowing them up alive (Numbers 16:1-35).  Korah’s descendants were not involved in the rebellion, but rather genuinely worshiped and served God in worship within the Tabernacle with a grateful heart.

Our psalmist loved God so much that he wished to always be where God was (vs. 1-4).  The tabernacle represented God’s dwelling place among His people on earth.  Though we know that God is everywhere, the Tabernacle, and later the Temple, was where the Jewish people in the Old Testament came to specifically worship Him.  This was where the psalmist wanted to be.  His love for God’s tabernacle reflected a heart that treasured communion with God.  He noted that even the birds desired to be close to God, where worship of Him was done.  As Christians, we should not only have a desire to attend church and worship services on a regular basis, but also desire and acknowledge the presence of God Himself in our lives.

The Temple, as we know, was located in Jerusalem.  Prior to the building of the Temple, the Tabernacle was located in Shiloh since the days of Joshua, which was about twenty miles north of Jerusalem.  On feast days and holy days, pilgrims would come there to worship.  Depending on how far they had to travel, this pilgrimage needed some degree of strength to accomplish, as they had to traverse some rough and wilderness terrain (vs. 5-7).

The “Valley of Baca” was a valley near Jerusalem that was dry and barren (vs. 6).  Its name means “valley of weeping”, and since it was a difficult place to travel through, the name was appropriate.  If one got their strength from the Lord, the dry valley would be like a spring of fresh, cool water.  Our trials become places of blessing when they are endured in faith.  God will transform our sorrows into springs of joy when we trust and have faith in Him.

The psalmist brings his prayers to the Lord (vs. 8-9).  Jesus is our Shield.  We are protected by Him, just as we would be behind a shield.  We can deflect the fiery darts of Satan, standing and declaring the powerful promises of God’s Word.  He shields us when the enemy plots his onslaughts against us.

Where would you rather spend your time, in a grand mansion, but it belongs to a wicked person, or in a small, humble church?  The psalmist said that he would rather be the doorman in God’s Temple rather than the tents (homes) of the wicked (vs. 10).  He preferred humble service in God’s house rather than worldly prestige.

God is both our sun (provider) and shield (protector) (vs. 11-12).  True joy and security are found in walking uprightly before God.  He withholds no good thing from those who live in obedience.  God’s promise to provide has a condition - it is given to those who walk uprightly.  If our needs aren’t being answered as we think they should, either God has a different plan, or something in our life may be a hindrance.  We could have unrepentant sin in our life.  God doesn’t reward sin.  Or there could be a discrepancy between our needs versus our wants.  God’s answer to prayer must fit with His goal of conforming us to the image of Jesus.

How about you?  Would you rather stay home, maybe get some extra sleep, or get up and go to church?  How much do you desire spending time with the Lord, reading His Word and in prayer, or would you rather be watching something on TV?  How deep is your love for Him?  Let your heart yearn for His presence more than earthly comforts.  Trust the Lord to carry you through the Valley of Baca, turning your hardships into spiritual springs.  Trust Him to be your sun and shield, your source and your defense.

The Drought

Jeremiah 14:1-10, 19-22

Natural disasters happen around the world all the time.  We hear about earthquakes in various parts of the world.  There are hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes here and there with great frequency.  Are all of these God’s anger and judgment upon the people in the areas where these disasters happened?  I will be quick to say - not all the time, that very frequently that is not the case.  However, sometimes God does send a natural disaster of one type or another to a certain part of the world in judgment, in order to get their attention, to seek to bring the people to Himself in repentance.  In our Scripture today, a message from the prophet Jeremiah, the Lord God had brought a drought on the land in judgment of the people of Judah.  Let’s look at what message that He had for the people.

As we open our Scripture, we read that the Lord gave Jeremiah a message regarding a drought that was happening in the land of Judah (vs. 1).  This wasn’t just a lack of rain for several weeks.  This was a major drought, and as we know, famine will quickly follow a major drought, particularly in the past when obtaining food and grain from other parts of the world was not really possible.  In a major drought, with a famine likely to follow if rain doesn’t come soon, people and their cattle, and other animals will begin to die.

Jeremiah observed what was happening around him (vs. 2-6).  The people and the land were mourning.  There has been no rain for so long.  People went to the wells and cisterns for water, but there was none there.  The ground had dried up, so the farmers could not plant or water their crops, and the wild animals were suffering.  This was a scene of a natural, physical disaster for the country, for both man and animal.

Jeremiah knew why this was happening, and he brought the message to the people.  This drought was a manifestation of God’s judgment for their persistent idolatry and rebellion.  God had revealed that their sin had reached a point where judgment was inevitable.  This was not just a random natural disaster, this was God’s divine chastisement for their sins.

There are times when God uses nature to execute His judgment upon people (Deuteronomy 28:1, 23-24).  When a nation turns from God, even the land bears the consequences.  The suffering of creation reflects the consequences of human sin (Romans 8:22).  We need to recognize that sin has tangible, societal effects.

As we continue, we read how the people of Judah seemingly repented of their sins.  However, God, who knows our hearts and minds, knew that this was only a superficial repentance.  The people outwardly acknowledged their sins, making a show of appealing to God’s Name and His covenants (vs. 7-10).  God responded that He knew that their repentance was insincere, that they “love to wander”, that they had not restrained their feet from following in the path of sin and idolatry, running after the false pagan gods of the nations around them.

The Bible teaches us that true repentance involves turning from our sin, not just giving a verbal confession (Proverbs 28:13).  God sees our heart, and knows if we are sincere or not.  He is not moved by empty words, but instead by genuine contrition (Psalm 51:17).  We need to examine whether our repentance is real, or if we are just going through some meaningless rituals.  Remember, God’s patience has limits when people’s sin is persistent and unrepented.

The prophet Jeremiah then turned to the Lord God in intercession for the nation of Judah and the people (vs. 19-22).  He pleaded with God, asking if He had utterly rejected the nation.  He appealed to the covenant God had made with their fathers, His past deliverances, and His glory.  Jeremiah doesn’t deny the people’s sins but he begs God for mercy.

These final verses show us that even when God has brought His judgment, His mercy can still be sought.  However, it must be on His terms.  The prophet showed us a model of intercessory prayer, but even he could not override God’s judgment (Jeremiah 15:1).   We too can pray for our respective nation, but also remembering that revival begins with our own personal repentance.  God’s mercy is available, but that does not negate His holiness.

In closing, we must remember that God will not tolerate sin indefinitely.  His judgments are righteous and purposeful.  When we cry out to God for His mercy, our repentance requires a change of heart and behavior, not just mere words.  Intercessory prayer is powerful, but it must be aligned with God’s will and truth.  We can trust that even in judgment, God is working to bring people to Himself, however don’t presume upon God’s mercy while still continuing in sin.

Persistent Prayer

Luke 18:1-8

We live in a world that wants instant gratification.  We’re hungry and we want something to eat, so we pop something in the microwave, and in a couple of minutes we have a piping hot meal.  We have drive-through restaurants where we order something, and drive a few feet and it’s waiting for us in a bag.  Not that long ago when a movie came out, one had to wait for it to come to the movie theater near you, and then you had to go out to that theater to see it.  Now the movies are streamed instantly right to your house whenever you want to see it.  We’re not happy and get impatient if we don’t get what we want right away, and then we give up.  If the line is too long at McDonald’s we drive away in frustration.  If something isn’t available right away, we throw our hands up with impatience and give up.  Jesus told a brief parable about the need to be persistent, that sometimes we might need to wait a while, and to not give up with impatience.

Have you ever prayed about something, something that you knew wasn’t clearly against the will of God, and then when you didn’t receive some sort of answer right away, you just gave up praying about it?  Many Christians have.  Jesus addressed this parable for just this reason.  In our Scripture today Jesus began by telling us that we need to always pray, and not to ever lose heart (vs. 1).  Prayer is not optional for believers.  If you carry the name of Christian, you should be spending at least some time in prayer.  In times of discouragement, believers must persevere in prayer rather than give up.  The Apostle Paul said that we should never stop praying (I Thessalonians 5:17).  That doesn’t mean that every waking moment we are on our knees in prayer.  Instead our life can be a constant conversation with God.

Jesus proceeded to give a parable about a widow who was being unfairly treated by someone, and she sought a judge to receive justice in her case (vs. 2-5).  The judge was ignoring her entreaties.  He was a person who didn’t seem to care about people, or what was right or wrong, which is unfortunately the case with many people today.  Instead of just giving up, the widow kept coming back, and coming back, and coming back again.  She didn’t give up.  Finally the judge was getting worn out with her persistence, and decided the only way to get her off his back was to see that she got the justice she was pleading for.

Jesus is teaching us here that we need to be like the widow and bring our petitions before God persistently, even when the rest of the world seems unjust.  God is not annoyed by our prayers.  He delights in our persistence because it reflects faith.  If even an unrighteous judge responded to persistence, how much more will a righteous God respond to His beloved children! (vs. 6-7).  Unlike the unjust judge, God is perfectly just and attentive to His people.  He will act in His perfect timing to avenge His people (Romans 12:19).

Prayer can bring about many mighty things from the hand of God, and can turn any situation around.  Prayer helps us get into the presence of God, and remain there continually.  It is not a means of coercing God to do what we want.  It is a process of recognizing His power and plan for our lives.  In prayer we yield our lives and circumstances to the Lord, and trust Him to act in His time and in His way.

A key part to prayer is persistence.  Never give up.  God loves to see us blessed.  If we don’t see an answer, keep praying.  God is not reluctant to answer prayer.  He is working things in our life in order to give us the very best, and wants us to get even closer to Him in the meantime.

Jesus ended His parable with the statement wondering if He will find any genuine faith on earth when He returns (vs. 8).  Will He find persistent, believing prayer?  In the last days faith may grow cold.  Believers must remain steadfast, trusting God even when answers to prayer seem delayed.  We cannot please God if we do not have any faith in Him (Hebrews 11:6).

As we close we need to determine in our life that we will keep on praying even when answers seem delayed.  God is not ignoring you.  He is working in ways we may not see.  Be like the widow in the parable by being bold, persistent, and unwavering.  Your faith honors God.  Pray with confidence.  He will answer.  God is willing and waiting.  Pray and pray again.  In a world growing cold, be found faithful when Jesus returns.

The Inspired Word of God

II Timothy 3:14-4:5

We’ve been reading through the Apostle Paul’s second letter to his spiritual son Timothy.  Paul knew that Timothy, a very reserved young man, would need a lot of encouragement to continue on in his calling to preach and bring the Gospel to the lost in the area he was ministering in.  In addition, Timothy needed to combat false doctrine and growing apostasy which was already beginning to spread in the early Church.  Let’s see what we can learn as we finish the third chapter and begin the fourth.

The early Christian Church was only a couple of decades old, yet already Satan was attacking it with false doctrine and teachings.  Already some believers, or those who made a show of believing, were falling into the trap of apostasy.  Thus, Paul urged Timothy that it was very important for him to continue to teach sound and true doctrines, the teachings from God’s Word that he had learned since his childhood (vs. 14-15).  Timothy had been raised by his believing mother Eunice and grandmother Lois (II Timothy 1:5). They had carefully taught him the Bible from early childhood, and he knew the authority of God’s Word.  It is important for Christians to teach their children the Bible from as early an age as they can understand it.  Then, as we grow older, we need to cling to those truths that we have been taught, especially with the levels of deception and false teachings that abound today.

Next, we come to a verse that is filled with doctrinal truth (vs. 16).  This verse teaches us the verbal, absolute truth of God’s Word, the Bible.  Every word of Scripture is inspired, God-breathed.  We must treat the entire Bible, every chapter and every verse, as authoritative.  There can be no picking and choosing about what one should believe and follow or not.  Too many denominations today have fallen away from sound teaching because they pick and choose what to believe and accept.  They don’t like this or that in the Bible so they figuratively just cut it out.  They feel that this or that teaching in the Bible doesn’t fit in with the world today, so they just toss it out.  However, all Scripture is inspired by God and is His Word, whether it fits with society today or not, and whether they like it or not.

The Scripture will teach us God’s doctrine, what is right.  It will also give us reproof, teaching us when we are wrong.  God’s Word will give us correction, showing us how to get right with the Lord when we’ve done wrong, and it gives us instruction in righteousness, which if we follow and obey, will help us stay on the right path.  As Christians, we need to follow those who defend the inerrancy and infallibility of the Bible.  If your pastor or your church does not, that is not the church you should be attending.  Instead, God tells us here to reject modernist or liberal views that question Biblical authority.

Paul reminds Timothy that it is God’s Word that completely equips him and us (vs.17).  We will grow spiritually in the Lord the more we read and study His Word, and not from emotional experiences or by seeking after worldly wisdom.

We now come to where the Apostle Paul renews for Timothy a charge to continue to preach God’s Word (vs. 1-5).  This is a serious calling for the young man Timothy, and for us, as well.  We are accountable to God Himself for the work we do for Him.  The central charge that is given is to preach God’s Word at all times, “in season and out of season” (vs. 2).  We are to preach God’s Word, not ours or others opinions, stories, or the popular trends or philosophies of today.

We should be doing this faithfully and consistently, whether it is popular with the world or not.  This might sometimes include reproving or rebuking some people, or giving them exhortations.  These are not easy tasks, but require both courage and clarity.  This also runs counter to the churches who want to be more of an entertainment venue, more of a rock concert than a Gospel message.   Or to the churches who choose to only bring “seeker-sensitive” messages, or the warm and fuzzy “feel-good” messages that never mention sin but instead tell the people to “be the best ‘you’ that you can be”.

We are in a time of doctrinal apostasy now, where people prefer ear-tickling messages over God’s Gospel (vs. 3-4).  We must guard against compromise and be discerning about what we hear and what we teach.  Far too many preachers give their congregations what they want to hear, not what they need to hear.  Thus we need to be vigilant, enduring hardship, and faithfully bringing God’s Word, and not man’s, to the lost (vs 5).

This is a tough message, but one that is important.  Sound doctrine must be upheld, and we need to prioritize God’s truth over what is currently popular.  Many will turn from the Bible to instead follow what society says is right, but we must remain faithful.  This passage is a call to remain anchored in the Word of God, especially as deception and apostasy increase.  Our orders are clear: preach God’s Word, endure affliction, and finish well.

God Never Sleeps

Psalm 121

When someone is supposed to be on guard duty, it is vitally important that they not fall asleep.  If you’re supposed to be protecting something important or valuable, you need to be awake and alert.  Just this past Sunday some criminals were able to get into the Louvre and steal the French Crown Jewels.  Obviously some guards were “asleep on the job”.  If you have your valuables somewhere, you want that place watched around the clock, and the guards wide awake.  When our children are away, we want the security to be alert where they are at.  No one wants to find that those who were supposed to be watching their child were asleep!  There is Someone who is always watching over us, and who will never fall asleep while on duty!  We read about Him in our psalm for this week.

Our psalm for the week is Psalm 121, one of the “Songs of Ascent”, which are Psalms 120-134).  These were generally sung by pilgrims who were going to Jerusalem to celebrate one of several holy days.  The theme of this particular psalm is that God is constantly protecting and caring for His people, and it encourages us to trust in His care, especially in times of uncertainty or danger, which we all go through at various times throughout our life.

As the pilgrims would hike closer and closer to Jerusalem, they would see the many hills that surrounded the holy capital city (vs. 1-2).  Those hills would be both beautiful and also ominous.  They were beautiful because it signaled that they were closer to their destination, the Temple in Jerusalem.  However, frequently in the hills bandits would often lurk, waiting for pilgrims to pass by so they could jump on them and rob them of their belongings.  There could also be wild animals prowling around which could be dangerous.  Where would their help come from?  Those in their group would be just as vulnerable.  We need to seek our help from the Lord.  In times of trouble, we must look beyond earthly sources, and fix our eyes on the Lord.  He, alone, is omnipotent.  The One who made all things is fully capable of sustaining and protecting His people.  We can trust in His power and sovereignty.

We read next how God so very carefully watches over us (vs. 3-4).  He will never fall asleep while on the job!  God’s protection is constant and unwavering.  It is only human nature to get weary and tired.  It’s unfortunate, but sometimes those who are supposed to be guarding us or our valuables might fall asleep.  However, God is divine, not human, and He never grows weary (Isaiah 40:28).  He is always alert.  We can safely rest because He never does.  Just as God kept Israel, He keeps all those who have put their faith and trust in Him.  Yahweh is the Keeper of His people!

As the psalmist continues, he refers to Yahweh as our keeper and our shade (vs. 5).  As our Keeper, He is personally involved in our life, certainly not a distant and uninvolved God that some believe.  Yahweh is also our shade.  When our way grows weary we long for a nice shady place to sit and rest, and that is what He provides for us.  The Hebrew word used here for shade is “sel”, which can also be translated as a shadow.  One thing about our shadow is, we can never escape from it.  Our shadow always follows us, and is right there beside us, no matter where we go.  We can run as fast as we can, but our shadow is right at our heels, right beside us.  God is always that close to us.  Yahweh is not distant.  He is at our right hand, ready to shield and sustain us (Psalm 16:8).

God’s protection of us is round the clock, both day and night (vs. 6).  Again, as mentioned earlier, our human protectors will grow weary and tired.  They cannot last all day, every day, but God can.  He will keep us safe both from the dangers of the day, and also those of the night.  Whether facing visible dangers or unseen fears, God’s care encompasses every moment (Psalm 91:5-6).

God not only watches over us physically, but He also protects our soul (vs. 7-8).  Once we have accepted Jesus as our personal Savior, we are His, and we are His forever.  Our souls are safe.  Nothing can separate us from Him (Romans 8:38-39).  No evil can ultimately harm our soul.  God is our eternal refuge.  God’s protection is both present and eternal.  He guards every aspect of our journey through life.

As we look back over this brief psalm, we can rejoice in the fact that God never sleeps.  He is always awake and always alert.  We can trust our life and that of our loved ones into His ever-vigilant care.  He will never be distracted and let some danger get by Him without His notice. When anxiety creeps in, remember that God never sleeps.  He is always watching over you!