The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?
Psalm 118:6
Have you ever been terrified; utterly and completely terrified? The environment we live in today leaves a lot of room for terror. The whole world seems to be unraveling in slow motion, right before our eyes. The systems we relied on are being systematically deconstructed; the values we held to as a nation and as a world, now sound hollow and shriveled like deflating balloons running out of gas, and pain, hatred and anger smolder dangerously beneath the surface of many human interactions. In times like these, what should a believer do? Fortunately, we do not have to guess. The Bible provides answers to all the dilemmas we face today and will ever face in the future and the Holy Spirit provides the power we need to live peaceful lives despite the storm.
When the Psalmist found himself in a similar dilemma he stated, “The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” And Paul writing to the Romans in Chapter 8:31 says, “What then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? And in Proverbs 29:25 we read, “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.” Whatever the circumstance dear friend, trust God and fear him only. As Oswald Chambers once said: “The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.”
When the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt, they cried out to God, he heard their prayer and he freed them from captivity (Exodus 2:23). When Moses and the Israelites were surrounded by Egyptian enemies, they prayed to the God of heaven and he rescued them (Exodus 14:17-20). When Joshua came up against the inhabitants of the land that God had given him, he prayed and he believed God’s promise, and he won (Joshua 1:10). It is time to pray; it is time to cry out for justice; it is time to fast; it is time to practice true Christianity and hold God to his word, “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
God of all Grace, intervene in the affairs of our world. We have sinned against you and against each other. Forgive us Lord, as we forgive those who have sinned against us. Cleanse us from hatred, prejudice and bigotry. Cleanse us from angry and vengeful spirits. You alone are our protector and shield. We hide in you, we stand in you, we believe in you, Amen!