Honest Reflections

One-minute read.

You will only look with your eyes. And see the recompense of the wicked.

Psalm 91:8

Rasa, the Hebrew word for wicked, means “evil, guilty, in the wrong, ungodly”[1]. In our world, the heartbreaking reality of evil deeds done by humans to each other discourages anyone. But we find hope when we peer at the world through the Lord’s lens of salvation. Faith encourages us; not only will God protect and bless us, but one day, justice will come to those who do ungodly things.

When people choose to do evil things, it breaks my heart. They don’t have to answer me for their actions, but one day, they will stand before the Creator and give an account of their hateful deeds. Without Christ to defend them, they will suffer the Lord’s wrath and eternal separation from Him. My heart aches for anyone who chooses separation from God over an eternity filled with His glory and unconditional love.

Free will gives us the freedom to live any way we want. But faith in Jesus gives us direction on how to live a Godly life, experiencing His protection and blessing from the world’s hatred. Yes, we will suffer like Christ, but our reward lies in heaven. Until then, we serve the Lord, working towards Him and fulfilling His purpose for our lives. Peer through the lens of Jesus, fill your heart with hope, trusting in His justice.

Application:

God’s justice will prevail.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for providing justice in an evil world. Please help us view life from Your perspective, allowing our faith to encourage and uplift us as we strive to love people and share the good news of Christ with others.

IJNIP. Amen

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[1] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+91%3A8&version=NIV&tab=interlinear

One-minute read.

A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, But it will not come near you.

Psalm 91:7

Promising to shield His children from the judgment of the wicked doesn’t mean we won’t experience troubles. The Lord does allow struggles into our lives that change the direction of our paths. Bad things happen to good people, as we all know. But our limited perspectives don’t always arrive at the correct conclusion. In the long run, what we deem as bad may prove good.

When the church I worked for eliminated my position, I first thought of it as a bad event. But I realized God answered my prayer. Poor leadership caused me to begin praying for my future in the organization. Just before I received the text calling me in for the meeting, I resigned myself to the fact that the Lord didn’t want me to leave. They eliminated my position two days later, freeing me from my obligations. 

In hindsight, I see God’s protection and guidance as He directed me on a different path. What I first judged as bad had my best interest at heart. The Lord does shield us from unjust judgments, and sometimes, He does it in ways we don’t understand. Only in time can we fully understand the Lord’s work, but we can always trust He has our best interest at heart.

Application:

God shields us from the wicked.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for shielding us from the wicked and leading us on the path of righteousness. Please help us not judge too quickly, allowing You to work in our lives as You guide us along the narrow road to our eternal home.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

Psalm 91:6b

Resistance comes with faith. Threats come in many ways, including direct attacks, diseases, and epidemics. When COVID-19 happened, it affected the entire world; no one had immunity to the virus. People made fear-based decisions with unexpected consequences, some helpful, others not. But through the pandemic, God remained in control. Nothing surprises the Creator, not even COVID-19.

During that period, I received an email from a non-believer in the grips of panic, uncertain what to do and believe. In my response, I shared my faith and how I trusted the Lord and His guidance, not man’s. Because of my beliefs and God’s sovereignty, I had the peace that surpasses all understanding, continuing to live as I do today, entirely in Christ, trusting His leading.

God’s sovereignty reigns outside our human grasp of time and space. The Lord sees all history in His view: beginning, middle, and end. Wasting nothing, the Creator uses everything for His purpose. What we can’t understand from our earthly perspective, we will one day fully know when God calls us to our eternal home. Until then, the Lord protects us from the threats we face in this world, holding us close in the palm of His hand.

Application:

God always protects us.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for always protecting us from worldly threats, no matter the time of day. Please help us live confidently in You, knowing You control our destiny. Let our lives unfold as You will, living out our purpose one day at a time.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness

Psalm 91:6a

When going through a trial, nighttime always challenges me the most. As darkness surrounds me and my thoughts go wandering, I can easily upset myself, whether by anxiety, fear, grief, or some other negative emotion. Worry causes many sleepless nights. But as I learn to turn my feelings into prayers, asking the Lord to help me control them, I find peace, even in the darkest night. Wherever God goes, there goes light. His protection pierces the blackness and gives us strength to persevere.

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17

Praying the name of Jesus evokes divine power in any situation. Keeping a heavenly mindset means doing all things with and for Christ. Whatever our battles, we have an ally we can call on, night or day, to help. Often, I find myself rebuking anxiety in the Savior’s name. Having recognized the powerful influence of emotions, I don’t want to steal any of my joy. Now, when my breath becomes shallow, and my heartbeat quickens, I know Who to call on to calm my body and mind. The pestilence that stalks in darkness cannot win against the Prince of Light.

When fear grips you, cry out to Jesus. Ask the Lord to guide your way with His light in the darkest of nights. Don’t live in the grips of anxiety; turn to the Creator and ask Him for peace. Lean into God, knowing He will never leave you nor forsake you. Whatever situation you find yourself in today, know the Lord’s with you. Call on His name, and Jesus will answer and give you what you need when needed.

Application:

Christ pierces the darkness.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for Your light that pierces the darkness and gives us hope in our desperate moments. Please help us cling to You when we don’t know what else to do. Please give us the strength to persevere when our will falters.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

Nor the arrow that flies by day

Psalm 91:5b

Every Christ follower experiences spiritual warfare. Using temptation, the enemy tries to lure people away from the straight and narrow path of following Jesus or even keep them from finding the salvation God offers through His Son. The Lord gave us free will; without it, we can’t choose love. And because of our freedom to choose, the devil can’t force us to sin, but he can tempt and deceive us like he did Eve in the garden.

“In all circumstances, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.” Ephesians 6:16

Faith in the Lord shields us from the fiery darts of temptation. Trying to entrap people, the enemy uses anything to get us off track. Satan tries to convince us we’ll enjoy the momentary pleasure biting the apple will bring us, as he did Eve. Taking refuge in the Lord and trusting His promises takes the target away from the enemy. The devil’s lies disintegrate in the light of Jesus’s love, and the Creator protects us from the enemy’s fiery darts.

Yes, spiritual warfare exists, but Christ has already won the battle. We can stand firm in our faith, understanding that the Lord protects us from the enemy’s attacks. The devil can try all he wants; he loses every time. In Jesus, we have all we need to defeat Satan. The shield of faith takes away the target and makes the devil’s arrows useless.

Application:

The enemy’s arrows won’t hit us.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for protecting us from the fiery arrows of the devil. Please help us stand firm in faith, knowing You won’t let the enemy lure us away from You.  Let us live in Christ’s victory every day.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

You will not fear the terror of the night

Psalm 91:5a

God’s security system operates 24 hours a day. Day or night, the Lord watches over us, protecting us from natural and supernatural causes of fear. Nothing happens without the Creator’s knowledge; we needn’t fear the midnight attack; God’s angels protect us from the spiritual warfare we can’t see.

“And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.”  Exodus 13:21

When God led the Israelites through the desert, He did so with fire at night, providing light for them on the journey. During the day, a cloud took the lead. The Shepherd never left their side, protecting and providing for their every need. The Lord still does that for us today. In the darkest night, His light still shines. When we cry out to Jesus for help, He answers, coming to our aid.

Many nights, I’ve had nightmares, waking me from my sleep. When fear grips me, I call out to God for comfort, and He always answers. Knowing our needs before we ask, the Lord protects us from the terror of the night. We can turn to Him with our fears, laying them at the cross and receiving the grace we need to let it go. Jesus did the work so that we could experience salvation through Him.  Nothing separates us from the Savior; He always protects us. You need not fear; God’s got your back.

Application:

We need not fear the terror of the night.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for protecting us from the terror of the night. Please help us live boldly for You, not fearing anything because we know You protect us. Give us the tools to live out Your purpose for our lives, honoring You with all we do.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

His faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

Psalm 91:4b

God guards us when we submit our lives to Him.  Day after day, as we strive to obey His commands to the best of our ability, the Lord blesses our efforts and protects us with His shield and buckler. “Sohera,” the Hebrew word for buckler, means wall. God places a hedge of protection around us, keeping us safe from the enemy’s attack. However, when we sin against God, making poor decisions that do not align with the Lord’s commands, we will suffer the consequences of those actions.

“Lord, protect me from myself” has become a standard prayer in my life. Knowing I made poor decisions in the past, I don’t want to repeat my mistakes. Sharing with a friend the story of my first car purchase as an adult, I suffered the consequences of making an emotional decision without seeking wise counsel. Falling for the sales pitch, I bought a car well outside my means, quickly becoming “upside down” in it, meaning I had negative equity because of the high mileage I put on the vehicle. With a large car payment on an SUV that had no value, I learned a difficult lesson, and the Lord let me.

Receiving God’s divine protection means aligning our hearts with His and submitting. To live our best lives, we must give them to the Lord and trust His guidance. We don’t need to control the world; God does. Live within the walls of the Creator’s protection by submitting to Him, and He will protect us from our enemies and ourselves.

Application:

God faithfully protects us.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for placing a hedge of protection around us and keeping us safe from the enemy’s attack. Please help us make wise decisions that allow us to live our best lives, faithfully submitting our actions to You.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings, you will find REFUGE.

Psalm 91:4a

Life throws things at us we didn’t ask for or want. When the unexpected happens, we can take refuge under the wings of our loving Heavenly Father, who protects us. The Lord doesn’t promise us that bad things won’t happen but that He will protect us when they do.

I am grieving the loss of a dear child in my life; she died unexpectedly. In the grip of heartache, tears fell from my eyes as I mourned her. Knowing Jesus holds her in His arms comforts me, but her family and friends miss her presence on Earth. God meets us in our darkest hours. Amid my tears, I felt the Lord’s presence as He collected them, putting them in the bottle marked Beth.

“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” Psalm 56:8

No tear goes unnoticed by the Lord; He weeps with us when we weep. Covering us with His wings, God shelters us in the storm, giving us refuge from the unexpected heartaches we experience in this world. One day, we will reunite with our heavenly Father and those who have gone before us. But until then, we can take shelter beneath the wings of the Creator. Seek refuge in the Lord, and you will find it.

Application:

God covers us with His wings.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for covering us with Your wings and giving us refuge from the world’s heartache. Let us seek You in our grief, finding comfort in Your arms. Bless us with Your peace that surpasses all understanding.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

For he will deliver you from the snare of the Fowler and from the deadly pestilence.

Psalm 91:3

God’s faithfulness and tender care protect us from the devil’s traps.  Convincing people he doesn’t exist makes the enemy’s efforts easier.  Our world struggles with believing that both the Lord and Satan exist and that spiritual warfare wages around us.  Not believing gives the devil a foothold in people’s lives and leads them astray.

“And give no opportunity to the devil.” Ephesians 4:27

Paul tells us not to give the enemy an inch.  For example, during my last hospital stay, my heart rate spiked.  The nurse who witnessed the event panicked, called the doctor, and did an EKG, which returned normal.  But that one event gave the enemy a foothold in my life.  Anxiety crept into my soul as I focused my attention on my heart rate by monitoring my Fitbit. 

Eventually, after a self-induced anxiety attack, I prayed to the Lord and asked Him to remove the anxiety because it continued to grow.  That very afternoon, I lost my Fitbit; recognizing it as a sign from God as the snare that had entrapped me, I didn’t replace it. And the devil lost his foothold as Christ gave me victory over my anxiety.

When we trust Him, God delivers us from the Fowler’s snare. The Lord protects us from the enemy’s ploys, not allowing the devil to get a foothold.  Ask God for deliverance, and He will show You the way out.

Application:

God delivers us from the Fowler’s trap.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for delivering us from the ploys of the enemy.  Please help us not let him get a foothold in our lives.  Search our hearts and cleanse us from within our souls so that we can serve You with our whole being.

IJNIP. Amen

One-minute read.

I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

Psalm 91:2

When storm winds blow, we must find refuge. A world filled with pain and heartache gives us many options. People turn to many things to find comfort: alcohol, drugs, work, exercise, shopping—an endless list of worldly things that won’t fill the void created by heartache. Only the Lord offers a fortress to help you find peace amid turmoil, but we must turn to Him to find it.

Ron and I took a bike ride around Jamestown Island outside Williamsburg during our dating days. A storm came upon us, and we had to find shelter; seeing no other option, we stood under a tree and got soaked. Once the rain stopped, we continued our ride, and to our surprise, we found a shelter just around the corner, out of sight from our place of refuge. If we had gone further, we could have stayed dry and found refuge from the storm.

To find refuge, we must seek the Lord. Persevering in the faith means we trust God’s plan and stand firm in His fortress, knowing He will protect us from the prevailing winds of turmoil. But we must seek the Lord, taking the steps necessary to draw close to Him.  If we don’t, we shelter under the wrong tree, getting soaked by the storm. Only the Lord can provide us refuge and a fortress that will stand the test of time, keeping us safe as the hurricane blows around us.

Application:

God provides refuge and a fortress for us when we seek Him.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for giving us a place to go when life overwhelms us. Please help us always take the necessary steps to seek You in our time of need. Let us not fall prey to the world when our hearts ache, and we need rest.

IJNIP. Amen