The Lord’s Faithfulness

by Laurie Aker

David writes about the Lord’s faithfulness: “…I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy” (Ps. 63:6-7). Can you say the same? Do you sing in the shadow of His wings? Is God your hiding place? Do you run to Him for protection? Will you be ready when the attack comes your way? What do you do when you get hit broadside with something unexpected? Are you poised and ready to run to what you know to be true of God, regardless of the circumstances? Is God your God? Do you know Him? Do you love Him? Do you really believe what you think you believe? Do you hold fast to that belief, or do you give into the pressures and doubts? Sometimes unbelief can be very subtle and hard to recognize. This is when seeking after the Lord with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength really pays off. It is in these times that our faith is tested and strengthened. We need to know where to run. “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe” (Prov. 18:10).

David gives us a powerful and beautiful image of the hope and safety we can have in the Lord. He knows His Lord. He is his strength and his shield. He chooses to hide himself in the shadow of the Almighty. By faith he believes that under God’s wing he will find safety. In times of deep difficulty, in the pit of despair, in the midst of confusion, we, too, can remember God’s past deliverance, His mighty hand, and His tender love towards us.

At the time David is writing these words, he was fleeing from his wicked son, Absalom. What is David’s response? Do we see him wrestling with a myriad of escape scenarios, fretting, or pacing nervously? No, David is focusing his thoughts and his heart on his God. He remembers Him and how He has been his help. David shelters himself in the rich memories of the Lord’s past provision and protection, and strength- ens himself with songs of joy. He knows God is sovereign, he believes that God is in control, and he acts on that belief, despite what he may be feeling. In other words, David walked by faith. Charles Spurgeon, the author of the Christian classic Morning and Evening, gives us a helpful reminder about faith: “Christian, take good care of thy faith; for recollect faith is the only way whereby thou canst obtain blessings. If we want blessings from God, nothing can fetch them down but faith.”

In believing faith, we can hide ourselves in the shadow of His wings and sing—yes sing—songs of praise to our God, knowing that He is good, all the time. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. The joy of the Lord shall be our strength; it shall be the very song we sing amidst the whirlpool of tribulation. “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:6-7).

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This blog post is an excerpt from the Thistlebend Discipleship Study Falling in Love Again with Your Lord available here.