Dave’s Monday Blast – February 6, 2017
The American Psychological Association notes that 75% of adults experience moderate to high levels of stress as a matter of routine. Throughout the Scriptures our loving Heavenly Father speaks to this topic dozens of times. Anxiety, fear, worry … none of these are from God. There is an antidote to this malaise! The only foundation for stability and serenity in such a chaotic world is the unchanging reality of God (Hebrews 13:8).
Abraham could offer his only begotten son Isaac on Mt. Moriah because he trusted the character of God more than the circumstances of the moment (Genesis 22). His was the height of faith: doing what made no sense to him to obtain a reward he could not possibly imagine. No wonder Scripture testifies, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (Galatians 3:6).
Pastor Jim Denision says, “Biblical faith asks for our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11) and unconditionally trusts the “I Am” (Exodus 3:14) with each moment of each day. By contrast, our culture segregates soul from body and religion from the ‘real world’. If we make God our Sunday hobby, we forfeit his Monday provision. If we believe him to be real and trust him to be Lord, we find that he is both.”
David rejoiced that his Shepherd “leads me beside still waters” (Psalm 23:2). Zephaniah assured his people that their Lord would “quiet you by his love” (Zephaniah 3:17). From these texts, I draw this conclusion: if my “waters” are not “still,” I am not following my Shepherd. If my soul is not “quiet,” I am not fully experiencing his love.
Does this mean that trusting God guarantees a tranquil life? INTENTIONAL men know that answer. King David lived a tumultuous life. But however chaotic his times, his soul could be “still”. We were made for a personal relationship with our Maker. Nothing less will fill the God-shaped emptiness Pascal described. The more secular our age, the more stressed our souls. The antidote … ”Intimacy with the Almighty”.
