The Lord our stronghold in times of trouble

 DAILY DEVOTIONS MCZ MISSION DEPARTMENT

Psalm 9:9-10 NIV

The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,

a stronghold in times of trouble.

Those who know your name trust in you,

for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

Everyone faces challenges in their life. Sometimes they may even seem overwhelming and some people seem to experience more than their fair share.

 But we serve a God who is bigger than any challenge we might face. And that should be an encouragement to us.

When we face difficulties, we generally want them to be resolved quickly and for life to be easy.It is tempting to expect God to step in and bring an end to the challenges we face. 

Our passage today says something entirely different than that. 

-The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed. 

-And he is a stronghold in times of trouble.

 Both of these expressions speak to sheltering, protectingand strengthening us in the midst of our difficulties.

The problems will continue to swirl around us.However we can trust in the one who knows us best to see us through it all.

Life may well be hard for us right now, but we can have confidence that the Lord will never forsake those who trust in him and seek after him. He is our refuge and stronghold.

David notes that God is with His people not just when everything is going smoothly. He is even there when trials buffet them. In Psalm 23, David testifies that the Lord is his shepherd. He is David's shepherd when He makes him lie down in green pastures or leads him beside still waters. 

The Lord is also David's shepherd in the valley of the shadow of death. David fears no evil because the Lord is with him (Psalm 23). Hebrews 13:5 assures believers that the Lord will never forsake them.

The key is to have unshakable trust and faith in God in all circumstances.

Prayer:

Father God, we praise you for never leaving us alone, not only not leaving us alone, but being our strength, our help. You are our refuge and strength and ever-present help in times of trouble.

We thank you and magnify your name in all circumstances in Jesus mighty name.

Amen.