PSALM 56:3-4 – “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?”

THEME OF THE DAY: WHEN I AM AFRAID.  Today’s scripture was penned by David. It was written at the time he was captured by the Philistines. He is describing the experience we each know in this life. It isn’t just restricted to childhood nightmares.  It occurs throughout our lives; those times of being afraid. It’s not “if” we will be afraid, but when we are afraid.  And this experience can be overwhelming.

How can we defeat this paralyzing emotion?  In today’s scripture, David gives us a couple of things to do.  First, we are to exercise faith or trust in the Person our God – “I put my trust in you, in God I trust”.  This is a conscious exercise of our wills despite our circumstances and feelings. To do so we need a reliable source of information about our God that enables us to trust Him, and David provides it – His Word.  Not only is the will exercised to trust God, but that trust is not without substance. It is grounded in the Word of God enabling us to trust Him – “whose word I praise, in God I trust”. But there is more help in defeating the experience of being afraid. It is from the Lord’s dealing with a fearful servant of His in the Old Testament – Joshua.

“After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go”” (Joshua 1:1-9).

Joshua was very afraid. Moses died and the Lord commissioned Joshua to take the place of Moses in leading God’s people into the promised land.  One may easily understand the fear in Joshua, but the Lord did not leave His leader without help.  And what God provided for Joshua, He provides for us too when we are afraid.  Go back and read the Joshua portion of scripture and see if you can find what the Lord did to calm Joshua’s fears. It appears three times – the promise of God’s presence with Joshua.  And when the Presence of the Lord is with His people, being afraid cannot stay.  His presence drives fear away.

So, when we are afraid, not if, but when, remember the Lord’s promise of His Presence. And praise Him. He will be true to His Word!

PRAYER: Father, I praise You for Your promised Presence in my life that drives away all my fears.

REFLECTION:  When tempted to be afraid, stop and remember what God has promised – His Presence.