It Will Not Come Near You

Each morning as we sit on the couch for our morning devotions we contemplate situations in the world that we are aware of from the news, or things we just know are that way. This morning it was news that fires in California are threatening the homes of hundreds in addition to those who have already been driven away, some 20,000 people, and already 1,500 building have been destroyed. Recently, of course, Houston, Bangladesh, Puerto Rico, and African countries caught in drought, many famishing, have also been heavy in the news. In rehearsing these many kinds of dire needs, many producing great anxiety, dismay, or hopelessness in the hearts of people, we feel burdened and wondered how we should interceded for all these things.

But our praying always starts with thanksgiving for the many blessings of our lives where it seems that God has favored us with so much good and so little to be anxious about. We have no continuous crises of food, shelter, finances or health. And we have some confidence our country will survive. How then how do we bring together all this abounding blessing for us in the face of innumerable calamities and hardships in the world? It almost makes me feel guilty or at least embarrassed that we have been exempt from the world's curses and instead have had security rained upon us all our decades. We have only had occasional reverses which we always pulled through with God's help and have few anxieties today.

Is all this somewhat similar to the experience of David where he wrote:

      A thousand may fall at your side,

      And ten thousand at your right hand;

             But it will not come near you. Psalm 91:7

Yet I have been haunted sometimes by difficulties we have had in the past: a house fire that destroyed our home years ago; struggling finances for many of our first 25 years of marriage; and marital adjustments that never seemed to be fully resolved. And we know that sometimes Christians have fatal traffic accidents. Can I believe David's words as a guarantee for the Christian for all times? Or did he write this at a time of peace within and recognition that God is always near him and is watching over him?

As we are entering “old age” for sure by now, it is encouraging that we can rest assured with David that He will always be with us, even as the Shepherd Psalm, the 23^rd, assured him. We can be confident that even if we are living in a world in turmoil, we are secure in God's care for us. It makes me humble that it seems we are singled out for God's special love- but that's just how He is. So with a grateful hearty we can intercede for the dire needs of the world and pray for God to act by his Spirit and through his people throughout the world, to bring hope and knowledge of his love for all and to all. We pray that all needy persons will have hunger for a “real” God and will find truth and hope in him and have his blessing for life as we do. In His own ways also he can release people of their misery and supply relief for many or all.