David was a man who was often in danger. As a young man he fought off a lion and a
bear who had their appetites set on his sheep.
He fought in many battles, most famously against the giant Philistine,
Goliath. King Saul plotted and attempted
to kill him. Driven out of his home,
hunted by his king, David went and lived among his enemies, the
Philistines. To survive among them,
David pretended to be insane, because the Philistines believed that madness was
a sign of having been touched by the gods.
Having been driven out of the Philistine king’s
presence, and having survived great peril, David wrote, “I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise
shall continually be in my mouth.” David
was rescued and preserved, and He praised the LORD. Some
would say that it was his quick wits that saved David, but he is clear on the
issue, “I sought the LORD, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears.”
There are many things that we fear in this
life, and one of the things we fear most is the opinions of others. How often have we kept quiet because we
feared what another person would think of us?
How often have we missed opportunities to share the Gospel because we
might upset or offend someone? In too
many ways we fear people more than we fear God, whom we are to, “fear, love and
trust above all things.” (Small Catechism)
We live in a world that is hostile to God,
and as His people, redeemed by the blood of Jesus, we are beset with
dangers. Having been made righteous, we
are separated from the sinful desires and attitudes of the world, even though
we still struggle with them and pray for deliverance from temptation. Because of our salvation we are in conflict
with the world and we suffer at its hands.
Luther said, “For it is certain … that the righteous will suffer many
things. It cannot be otherwise. If you will be righteous, you must take up
your cross and suffer. This is how it
must be.” *
Yet David remind us, “Oh, taste and see that
the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who
takes refuge in Him!” Despite the
dangers, it is better to be in the LORD than in the world, for what the LORD has promised to us is
far better than anything the world can offer.
This is emphasized in the psalm as it says, “Many are the afflictions of
the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. The LORD redeems the life of His
servants; none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.”
Luther comments on this as well, “… it is
certain that the Lord will truly help us out of all these afflictions, that
none of the least of your bones will be taken away or missing. Yes, even the hairs on the head are
numbered. Although the bones of the
saints in their martyrdom were often broken, some of them burnt to ashes, and
many more decaying in their graves, they will yet return and not remain
eternally broken or be called broken.
Rather, for a time they will be broken, but afterward they will all
again be more whole and healthy than they formerly were.” (*Reading the Psalms with Luther)
The season of Lent provides great symbolism
for this. For a period of time (40 days)
we are confronted by sin and sorrow. We
are broken down as the Word calls us to repent.
Yet at the end of the days of Lent we find Easter, and all our sorrow
and sadness is swallowed up in the good news that He has risen from the
dead. This is how it will be for us when
He returns in glory, too. For all who
believe in Jesus, we will rejoice for our salvation is at hand, and the
sufferings of this world will not be worth comparing to the glory Jesus reveals
in us.
Lord, protect us in this world, and lead us home to You. Use us to draw others to You, too, so they
may rejoice in the salvation You have won for us in Jesus. Amen.
Come, Lord Jesus, come.
Amen.
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