The Security We Have In God's Name

A few weeks ago we talked about how precious God's name is and the love that is expressed to us in His name. But do you realize how secure we are in God's name? In today’s message, let’s listen while the psalmist tells us how great our God is.

I'll have to admit, that even as a Christian, I have sometimes found my security in things other than God. Like money in the bank, college degrees on the wall, recognition for my work, or friends by my side. What I'm learning, though, is that God really is my security and help.

I pray just about every day for God to give me peace and hide me in the shadow of His wings as the Psalmist wrote. As I have gotten older, the peace that I have now is very real, but I wish I had learned that when I was younger. If so, I would have dealt with fewer fears and less worry as I trusted God to guard me in His power. If you tend to look for security in something other than God, I pray that this message today will help you trust and rest in Him as it has me. Prayer.

So the title of the message today is the security of God's name. The writer of Psalm 91 understood what anxiety was and shared some ideas of how to rest in the security of God. The very first two verses of this Psalm testify to God's faithful protection. Then we're given some advice. Finally, God interjects His promise of protection in the last three verses. So this Psalm assures us that God cares for all who place their trust in Him. But do we really believe that?

Psalm 91:1-2 – “The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say concerning the Lord, who is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust:

Can you trust in the protective power of God? We don't really know the situation that led to the writing of this Psalm, but these words are an encouragement to trust in the protective power of God. These opening verses are a declaring of trust, a certainty in what God provides because of who He is. In Him we can find strength and protection.

We live in a world that is filled with trouble, and we're really unprepared on our own to deal with all the issues that are going on today. Evidently the psalmist lived in a similar world. God, the most high, the Almighty, was his refuge, fortress, and dwelling place.

Verse 1 assures us that if followers of God choose to dwell in the shadow of the Almighty, they will live under God's protection. To help us understand who God is, the writer uses four names to describe God.

He is "the Most High," a name that reminds us that no enemy can compare to God.

He is the Almighty, or the Sovereign One who can accomplish whatever He plans. Even in His shadow we can find protection for those who follow Him.

Next, He is "the Lord" , or "Yahweh," the "I am." He always has been and always will be, and He is a covenant-keeping God. He keeps His promises to us.

And finally God is identified as "my God", an indication of the personal relationship that the writer had with God. So the psalmist was speaking about his God, and he wanted others to know Him too. Can you call God, my God?

But you might notice that the names of God aren't the only way the psalm directs us to God's protective power. He used metaphors to make his point and describes God as protection, shadow, refuge, and fortress. He is our shelter, our safety, and our strength.

Can we trust a God like that? Surely, we can. Do you trust God that much? This combination of names and images reminds us that God is more magnificent than our minds can even imagine. He is the sovereign, ever-present, and everlasting God who has the power to protect His children. God isn't a false god who sits on a shelf; He's the true God who graciously calls us to Himself to be His children.

God wants us to be aware that He protected, rescued, and sheltered the psalmist, and God offers the same care to us today. We can trust Him, knowing that He is powerful to guard us against anything we face. At the same time, we need to realize how defenseless we are when we try to overcome difficulties in our own power. We can't fully protect ourselves, but He can. And He does.

I know we hear these words and say, “Amen,” but do we really believe it? If we really believe what God is telling us and if we really trust Him, then why do we worry? Why do we have pity parties when things bring us down? God says, "I am here. Trust Me. Believe in Me. Stop going through the motions and let Me in."