Devotions from Judy’s heart
It seems there is so much fear in the hearts of many as we wonder if we could be next to get COVID, if our job will be eliminated, if we can pay the rent etc. Some cannot sleep at night with worry and if we allow ourselves to go down that road in our thinking, we will find it comes to a dead end. But like I read today the Psalmist asks in Psa.49, “Why should I fear in times of trouble?” If we know the Lord, we need to ask ourselves the question of why we should be afraid when the God of the universe who made us is able to care for us and see us through this crisis. In the next Psalm 50 the Psalmist begins by calling God the Mighty One, God the Lord, and in verses 14-15(ESV) says, “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” We have an abundance of promises that can help us attack fear and not let it take over in our lives. Our strength is in the Lord and not in ourselves and during this time of the virus, we are seeing how our lives are in His hands and not our control. One friend e-mailed me that she is at peace during this Covid time. She had spent some time alone with the Lord and concluded that there were two possible outcomes. One that she might get the virus and recover or the other that she would go home to Jesus. She said that either way sounded like a “win” to her. She went on to say that she looked forward to the possibility of death, not necessarily with longing or any immediate desire, but knowing that her joy in the Lord would be complete. For all of us like the Psalmist we can offer to God the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. I am reminded of a chorus I learned years ago and a pastor recently had his congregation sing it over and over. “We bring the sacrifice of praise unto the House of the Lord. (4x) And we offer up to you the sacrifices of Thanksgiving; and we offer up to you the sacrifices of joy.” When we feel down and worrisome, then it is a sacrifice to praise the Lord; but we become that sacrifice if we do it anyway. Let us not give way to fear but offer a sacrifice of praise to Him who is worthy of our worship and praise.
Challenge for today: Spend some time just worshiping and praising the Lord and release your fears to Him.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy