We read in Psalm 84:5, “Blessed is the man whose strength is in You; Your ways are in their hearts.” (LITV)
We are blessed when God is our strength
If one were to ask the question, ‘Who is a blessed person or one who is blessed by God?’ the answer can be found in the above mentioned verse. The verse highlights two main qualities that makes a person a blessed one. The first characteristic is that he or she is a person who finds their strength in the Lord, and secondly they have the ways of God set in their hearts.
All of mankind was faced a tumultuous time during the pandemic. We have reached astounding heights in our advancements in science, technology, medicine, industrialization and tele-communication. However, in spite of all our progress we are apparently stuck with no way out of a severe pandemic. There was this thought that with all these improvements in every field, humanity could survive anything. Today, the world has become a global village where information from every nook and corner of the world can be shared all over the world. However, as the world battled with a terrible pandemic, there was no clear answer as to how this came about, or if there are those responsible for the outbreak of such a deadly disease.
It is therefore quite evident that as human beings we cannot really lean on any of these man-made advancements, to give us some sort of security or protection. None of this can be our strength, or be depended upon. There are many who have put their entire trust in their position, possessions, jobs, education, family, children and the knowledge they possess. However, if we were to ponder on this for a while, we will understand that none of these can save us. For those who thought any of the above mentioned were their strength, this is the time to actually sensitize ourselves to understand, as to what God is saying to us.
If someone were to ask us, ‘What is the strength of your life?’ what would our answer be. The word of God affirms that those who find their strength in God are the blessed ones.
We read in Habakkuk 3:19, “GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places.” (ESV)
The prophet Habakkuk makes this declaration that God the Lord was his strength. When God becomes our strength then He strengthens our feet to be like that of a deer’s. Two things that will be evident to someone who has made the Lord their strength, is that they will advance in leaps and bounds, and will also be taken to far greater heights. So when we earnestly desire to make the Lord our strength, we are guaranteed that we will be blessed immensely.
We are blessed when God’s ways are in our hearts
The second part of Psalm 84:5 states that the ones who are blessed are those who have chosen in their hearts to walk in God’s ways. Therefore, if our hearts are set on mal-practices and wicked schemes, there is no way that the blessing of the Lord would rest upon them.
In the midst of all the trouble that surround us, have we taken time to help someone in need? For those who say that they themselves are in dire straits, there are so many other ways you can still help. A concerned call, and a sympathetic ear can make a huge difference to many who are filled with fear and anxiety. These are days when we should turn our attention to the Lord Almighty, failing which no one can save us from these hardships that surround us.
For such a time as this
In the book of Esther, we read about a message that Esther’s uncle Mordecai sent to her.
We read about this is in Esther 4:14, “For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (ESV)
The entire Jewish community was facing a threat, and it was during this time that Esther was chosen to be queen in that kingdom, and was settled in the palace. Esther had everything that she needed, security, comfort and the honor of being a queen. However, her own Jewish people’s lives were in jeopardy. Mordecai had to remind Esther that it was for this very purpose that God had elevated her, and appointed her to that key position in the kingdom.
These are those days when we should do all we can to help, and show genuine concern for those around us who are in need. If we do not take heed to this call, the help will come to people through someone else, but we will miss out on the blessing that should be ours. If we have been blessed, and kept in a prominent position, it is simply so we can be a blessing to others. Let us look for opportunities to enquire after those who are in need, and also do whatever we are capable of, to help alleviate the hardships that others are challenged with.
Let God be your strength even in the valley
We read further in the psalms that this is what will happen to those blessed ones who have made the Lord their strength, and choose in their hearts to walk in God’s ways.
In Psalm 84:6, we read, “Passing through the valley of weeping, they will make it a fountain; even the early rain covers with blessings.” (LITV)
These people who are blessed, and have made God their strength can walk through the valley of weeping, and make them fountains of joy. No wonder the psalmist was able to say in Psalm 23:4, that even when he walked through the valley of the shadow of death, he would not fear any evil, because he had the assurance that the Lord was with him.
Every individual has those mountain-top experiences, but these don’t last forever. All of us also go through those valley like experiences, because life is a mixture of the highs and the lows. Do not believe anyone who says that their life is a constant high, with no seasons of lows. However, there are many who gladly accept these high moments, but are completely averse to facing any sort of want or pain in their lives. When trials and calamities come to such, they are discouraged, disheartened, and have no strength to carry on. If we make the Lord our strength, we can be sure that He will walk with us, and see us through those valley like experiences. We too must declare that God is with us through all our hard times, and we will surely come forth victorious.
To make our valleys of weeping into fountains, implies that those who have made the Lord their strength, will be able to make these difficult experiences ones that will give life, strength and blessing to themselves and others. What seems to be a hindrance in their lives, are turned to become blessings, because of the way they approach those hard situations.
Praise God continually through all the hard times
David had written so many Psalms, and all of them are a great blessing to us even today. One of them is Psalm 34 and before we go into it, let me give you a background to this Psalm. David was going to a country seeking safety, but the people there identify David for who he was, and David’s life was in danger. In that critical situation, David pretended to be insane, and thereby escaped from that place.
It was at this point that David wrote Psalm 34:1, which says, “I will always thank the LORD; I will never stop praising him.” (GNB)
Even in such tumultuous circumstances, David could praise and thank God, from the depths of his heart. David praised God when he was an ordinary shepherd, continued to praise God even when he became a king, and when faced with all sorts of difficulties he did not stop praising God. David could have easily complained, and thought that he was better off as a shepherd looking after sheep in the wilderness. However, David never questioned God about any of these adversities that came upon him, nor did he pine about what others would think about his situations, but rather decided to praise God, no matter what.
I wonder how many of our mouths are filled with praises and thanksgiving to the Lord even when we pass through seasons of intense trouble. Many people today are so bothered about other people’s opinions of them, not realizing the truth that those other people don’t really have time to think about us, or our calamities. Instead, if we can keep praising God through all our hardships, we will find that God will make a way for us to overcome, and come out victorious from those difficult situations.
To make God your strength means that we depend on Him totally. For instance, a person who thinks that their money is their strength, will function that way, and live with the thought that they can have anything they want, be it a job, medical facility, or anything else can be with money. On the other hand, the person who has made God their strength, will go to Him for every need, weakness and infirmity. So many who have gone through these deep valley like experiences have gotten dejected, and isolated themselves from everybody. Nonetheless, those who have made God their strength, will not allow any calamity to overwhelm them, and will have no fears, but will go forth with courage. Instead of grumbling when faced with difficulties, we should learn to make these experiences beneficial to our lives.
David wrote so many Psalms in the midst of all the hardships he faced. No wonder then that when we read them so many thousands of years later, it still blesses and encourages our hearts. Just imagine if David just murmured and grumbled the whole time, there would be nothing for us to draw strength from today. Like David let us keep praising and thanking the Lord continually, whether we are on a mountain-top, or find ourselves in the lowest parts with valley like situations surrounding us.
Find strength in God
We read in 1 Samuel 30:3-4, “When David and his men arrived, they found that the town had been burned down and that their wives, sons, and daughters had been carried away. David and his men started crying and did not stop until they were completely exhausted.” (GNB)
David and his men had gone to help a king, and were returning home to find a most devastating sight. The entire city where David and his men lived was burned down and all of their wives and children were taken captive by the raiding party. David and his men who had returned home exhausted, were so overwhelmed with sorrow that they cried until they could cry no more.
Maybe there are those who are going through these intense paths of sorrow, and are crying those bitter tears that no one else is aware of. Be sure that God is aware of your tears, and perfectly sympathizes with all your fears. Call on the Lord, keep praising and thanking Him through all of it. You will see the Lord intervene to change those circumstances in ways you cannot comprehend. God will give you the needed healing, and restoration to all those seemingly hopeless situations.
David was an ordinary shepherd boy whom God chose to elevate to become the King of Israel. A mighty man of war who had won many battles. David too was oppressed, and hard-pressed with various calamities that surrounded him. Look at the adverse situation David found himself in as recorded in the verse below.
We read in 1 Samuel 30:6, “And David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters; but David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.” (JPS)
The circumstance that David and his men found themselves in was one of utter loss, and destruction in front of their eyes. Strangely, the men who were with David suddenly turned against him. These men were those whom David led, protected, blessed and guided all along. The men who were with David turned against him, and even wanted to stone him.
It is extremely painful when the very people who you loved, cared for, protected and guided turn against you in your time of adversity. That is exactly what David faced inside and out. I wonder what we would have done, if we found ourselves in a situation that David was in. However, this was David’s response to this crisis that he faced.
David found strength in the Lord his God, and here’s how he was able to do it.
Firstly, David would have recalled all the various times when God was faithful to protect him. David knew that God had been his security through the numerous perils that he had encountered. He therefore knew that God would be faithful to keep him safe.
Secondly, I am sure that David would have prayed fervently to the Lord to deliver him from the dangers that surrounded him.
Thirdly, David knew that his days were ordained by God, and that there was nothing to fear. Listen to the words of David in Psalm 31:15, “My times are in your hand;”(ESV)
Finally, David sought the Lord to guide him to make the right decisions for what lay ahead of him.
Oftentimes, the troubles we face are not from those outside, but from those close to us, even our own families. God is aware of these troubles, so never lose heart because He is able to change them for our good. There are many who are so weak they do not even have strength to pray. We may not have strength for other things, but we sure need God’s strength to continue in prayer. Never give up on praying, and don’t lose the privilege of knowing God, and calling out to Him at all times.
There are some elderly people who feel that they have no reason to live, and their constant thought is about dying. Let me encourage such to set those thoughts aside and to live to the fullest the days that God has assigned for you. We are in need of a lot of continual prayers, and who is better equipped than the elderly people who are with us. Our times are in God’s hands, and He has a purpose for letting us live each day.
We too when challenged with hardships of varying kinds, should recall all the ways in which God led us in the past. The wonderful ways in which God protected, and kept us through various perils that we faced, healed us of our many heartaches, and gave us the strength to carry on when people came against us. It is also important that we call on the Lord Jesus, and continue in prayer through all our difficulties. When we call on the Lord Jesus He is compassionate to give heed, and will surely answer our prayers. Let us also keep in mind that our days are ordained by God, and our times are in His hand.
The one who created us holds us, and no one can pluck us out of our Heavenly Father’s hands. If we have this confidence all fears and apprehensions will flee, and we will have the peace and security that the Lord gives to us. In seasons of confusion, we must ask God to counsel us, and guide us in the way that we should go. Jesus is our counsellor, and He will guide us in the right way.
God’s testimony about David
Here’s the testimony about David as recorded in Acts 13:22, But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’ (NLT)
This is the wonderful testimony that David received from God, because David had made God his strength. David followed after the ways of God with all his heart. No wonder then that he was able to go through the valley of weeping, and could make it a fountain overflowing with joy and thankfulness.
God is willing to give this same blessing to those who are willing to make God their strength, and whose hearts are set on following the ways of God. Be certain that God will transform your valleys of sorrow and pain, to become overflowing fountains of unimaginable joy.
Rev. F. Andrew Dixon
www.goodnewsfriends.net
Transcribed by: Sis. Esther Collins
