Tag Archives: poetry

JOHN 14 PEACE GIVEN TO THOSE WHO TRUST CHRIST

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July 27

JOHN 14

25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here. – John 14:25-31

JOHN 14 PEACE GIVEN TO THOSE WHO TRUST CHRIST

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Have you surrendered to the Lord Jesus your entire life?

Has your life changed after you professed your faith in Christ?

If you haven’t committed to your Savior, you will be full of troubles

Worry becomes your refuge when things do not go as you expect it

Your life will be filled with dissatisfaction and bitterness if you doubt

Peace only comes to those who believe and trust in the Lord Almighty.

These words of Jesus to his disciples are his farewell to them on the night before he was crucified. The disciples must have been grief-stricken, worried and scared about what will happen to them when he goes. It is human nature for us to be fearful when we have no clue about what is going to happen. I remember when my husband’s MRI showed traces of dementia. The grief was overwhelming even though he was still with me. I could imagine how the disciples felt knowing that they are going to lose their beloved master and teacher. They felt lost and purposeless because they left everything to follow the Lord.

Jesus had so much compassion for his disciples and in this account, we hear how much he loved them all. He assured them that even though he wasn’t around, there is a Helper who will be there constantly to comfort, guide and teach them. In other words, the Holy Spirit is the one who will remind them of all that has been taught to them by Jesus. That’s amazingly comforting to know that they are not going to be abandoned after all. But because of their limited minds and their emotions overcoming them, they couldn’t truly fathom what Jesus was saying. We also do this a lot when we become hyper focused on something negative that we fail to see the lessons or the upside of the situation. Jesus reminded them that if they love him, they will rejoice. Easier said than done to be joyful when you lose something or someone you love. If they trust Jesus’ promise of a Helper, they would not dwell on the loss itself but in the gain of the presence of the Helper who will be living in their hearts.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think peace is the by-product of trusting the Lord?

PSALM 91 TRUST IN THE MOST HIGH

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July 25

PSALM 91

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will sayto the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge;

  his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

5 You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
8 You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place- the Most High, who is my refuge-
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.

                                                                                        – Psalm 91:1-10

PSALM 91 TRUST IN THE MOST HIGH

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Say to the Lord that he is your stronghold and sanctuary

He is the only One who can deliver you from all your enemies

If you trust the Most High, you fear nothing and no one

Only in him can you be protected, assured and calm

Even in the midst of much troubles, you will find strength

Only by trusting the Most High will you be safe and be content.

Biblehub.com defines “the Most High,” as the One who is absolutely supreme, unrivaled, and enthroned above every earthly or spiritual power. The title draws attention to His transcendence and to His sovereign right to rule and to judge. It is not a distant abstraction; rather, it is a covenant name that guarantees the security, inheritance, and vindication of His people.

In this psalm, the suspected author was Moses. We remember Moses asking God who shall he say that he is to the Israelites and God’s reply was “I am that I am.”  According to hebrewwordlesson.com “there are two primary ways to sayI am in the Hebrew Bible: ani and ehyeh. Ani (and anoki) is the most prolific Hebrew word meaning “I am”. Even YHWH repeatedly used it to speak of Himself, saying “Ani YHWH” (I am YHWH). I alluded to this title of God because it is the closest to the Most High. Moses exhorts the Israelites to trust in the Most High and they will be protected and delivered from their enemies. He described how God will vindicate them because they are his people and that they need not fear anything since he is sovereign and above all things.

What does total trust in God brings the believer? Assurance, protection and peace. No amount of problem solving and reliance on ourselves will keep us secure and calm. Only in the Lord will we have it.

REFLECTION

  • Why is it important for us to focus on God’s title “Most High” as we navigate this corrupt world?

PROVERBS 16 TRUST GOD & HE’LL ESTABLISH YOUR STEPS

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July 23

PROVERBS 16

The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit.
3 Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.
4 The Lord has made everything for its purpose, 

   even the wicked for the day of trouble.
5 Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord;

   be assured, he will not go unpunished.

6 By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,

   and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.
7 When a man’s ways please the Lord,

he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice.
9 The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

                                                                                        – Proverbs 16:1-9

PROVERBS 16 TRUST GOD & HE’LL ESTABLISH YOUR STEPS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Are you a planner, a micro-manager, an achiever or a problem solver?

Do you like doing things on your own or do you ask help from others?

Do you rely only on your own understanding or do you seek counsel?

If you trust God, he will establish your steps and your plans will prosper

If you operate on your own, you will encounter troubles and have failures

Be humble and run to your Father in heaven who is your greatest Provider

If you run to yourself, you are ignoring God, you are defying the All-Powerful.

More often than not, we do not seek counsel from the Lord. Human nature tends to rely on ourselves first than on someone we do not see. Just because we don’t physically see God doesn’t mean he isn’t present in our lives. How else can you explain the natural beauty we gaze at every morning when the sun rises and every evening when it sets on the horizon? How do you explain all the complex emotions we have that’s unexplainable and hard to fathom? It only means that there is a Higher Power that we don’t see and has created all the natural beauty around us including our own self to exist and have its own purposes in the big scheme of God’s plan.

In this proverb, Solomon wants us to rethink how we approach life on a day-to-day basis. He wants us to recognize that there is a God who knows and sees all things. He also provides for all our needs. So, why would we ignore and forget that it was him who owns everything in this world he created? Why won’t we consult him for everything since he knows what we need and what is good for us?

REFLECTION

  • How can a Christian let go of automated self-reliance and turn to God for counsel at all times?

JAMES 1 UNWAVERING TRUST IN THE LORD

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July 22

JAMES 1

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. – James 1:5-12

JAMES 1 UNWAVERING TRUST IN THE LORD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

If your trust in the Lord is unwavering, you’ll prosper

If you lack wisdom, ask the Lord Almighty for his counsel

And you will be generously given it, but ask with no doubting

For if you hesitate, you are manifesting a heart that is distrusting

A firm trust in God is evidence of your commitment & love for him

It shows conviction that withstands the enemy’s temptation to sin.

So many of us say we love someone but how few of us could actually say that we totally trust the one we claim to love? It is human nature to protect ourselves from what is unknown. It is interesting that even between husbands and wives, we often see some tinge of mistrust brewing in marriages. It is understandable to witness such suspicions and uncertainties if there were preceding events that led to one of the spouses being betrayed once if not often. In those instances, we know that one of them has already broken their vows to love each other. It usually takes time to heal those wounds of unloving acts and betrayals, that is, if it is actually repented on and then forgiven.

In this letter of James, he emphasized the importance of unwavering trust in the Lord. To have a total and complete trust in God, we need to submit control and understanding to him. When we ask him for a plea, it must be out of humility and not twisting God’s arms to give us what we ask for. Often, we come to God for help after we have already exhausted all our knowledge and understanding of a situation. This isn’t truly showing a humble faith and dependence on God. It shows that we rely on ourselves first before we run to God’s counsel. It is proof that we don’t have full confidence that God is our Father and that he has already provided all that we need even before we ask for it. James cautions us from doubting as it is compared to the instability of the waves of the sea that is tossed and blown by the wind. When we doubt, we are not believing that God is the Provider and Source of all things. When we are not firm in our belief in him, we are actually not serving him. We are operating in the camp of the devil.

REFLECTION

·       What does unwavering trust in God look like in a Christian’s life?

MARK 4 YOU OF LITTLE FAITH

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July 19

MARK 4

35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” – Mark 4:35-40

MARK 4 YOU OF LITTLE FAITH

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Where do you turn to when you are fearful?

Do you tend to isolate or run to the Almighty?

If you have little faith, you will be overcome by fear

Believe that the Lord has all control and all power

Grow your faith consistently and trust God even with little things

You will eventually begin to give up unbelief and start believing

Even if your faith is as little as a mustard seed, nurture it

For the Lord will be the one to grow your smallest act of trust.

We witness in this account the fear that overcame the disciples as a great storm arose and their boats were being tossed and turned. They feared for their lives. It is human nature to experience the same feelings they had when we experience great natural calamities and disasters. What is interesting in this story is the irony between their panic and Jesus’ calm as he slept. When they woke Jesus up and said to him “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” That is the statement of unbelief. The audacity of these disciples to ask Jesus such a question after seeing all his miracles right in front of their very own eyes. You think that after the number of years they have been following Jesus that they would have grown their faith, but it just exposed how little their knowledge of him was. When Jesus asked them “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” It is not like Jesus didn’t know the answer to that. He was challenging them to reflect how much trust they have grown since the time they were chosen to be his disciples. If their intimacy with Jesus was mature, they would know that Jesus has power over the wind and the seas. Because of their shallow relationship with their Lord, they feared for their lives not knowing that Jesus is life itself. Jesus felt sad that after those years of being with him, they still have not grown their trust in him.

In Mark 11:23, we hear ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.’ We should be able to visualize what we are hoping for and believe that it has already happened so we can receive it.

REFLECTION

  • Who should you have little faith in and who should you give all your trust to? Why?

PROVERBS 29 FEARING MAN LAYS A SNARE

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July 18

PROVERBS 29

23 One’s pride will bring him low,
      but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.
24 The partner of a thief hates his own life;
       he hears the curse, but discloses nothing.
25 The fear of man lays a snare,
    but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.
26 Many seek the face of a ruler,
      but it is from the Lord that a man gets justice.
27 An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,
       but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.

                                                                                        – Proverbs 29:23-27

PROVERBS 29 FEARING MAN LAYS A SNARE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

If you are afraid of what wicked people can do to you

You have been enslaved by the state of being fearful

Whoever gets terrorized by someone do not trust God

If you know the Lord your God, you will live in love

The perfect love of God casts out fear, so trust the Lord

When you do not know God, you will be overcome by the world.

When was the last time you were manipulated, bullied or terrorized by someone? It is not a pleasant experience when you become intimidated by someone who controls you because you are in desperate need to be loved. I remember that feeling while I was growing up and being dismissed and neglected by my own mother. It was a very painful rejection of my existence. At a very young age of seven, I remember being so confused after I was showed a gesture of love and care for my mother when she got home from work. I offered her slippers as she came into the house, wanting to connect with her. She is always busy at work and never finds time to spend with me and my brother. She delegated her parenting role to her two sisters who lived with us. I was always living in fear that she is never ever going to find time to see me or be heard. But as I offered her the slippers as an opening for connection, she tossed the slippers and yelled that she doesn’t have time for me. How would a seven-year-old deal with that kind of rejection from her own mother? When I learned about Jesus in school, I began to have conversations and also wrote him letters as I learned to read and write at that age. The pain of rejection wasn’t that much anymore after I began having a relationship with Jesus. I felt relieved and at peace each time I talked and conversed with my Lord.  I felt that I had a confidant, a friend who’ll not reject me.

In this book of Proverbs, Solomon exhorts us to never allow humans to intimidate us and cause fear in us. When we fear man, we are going to be in bondage, but if we fear the Lord and trust in him, nothing will ever make us tremble in fear anymore. Instead of fearing man, let us trust and fear the Lord instead.

REFLECTION

·       Share a time when you were freed from the bondage of being afraid of someone or something.

PSALM 60 TRUST GOD AND YOU’LL DO VALIANTLY

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July 17

PSALM 60

4 You have set up a banner for those who fear you,
    that they may flee to it from the bow. Selah
5 That your beloved ones may be delivered,
    give salvation by your right hand and answer us!
9 Who will bring me to the fortified city?
    Who will lead me to Edom?10 Have you not rejected us, O God?
    You do not go forth, O God, with our armies.
11 Oh, grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man!
12 With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.

                                                                                  – Psalm 60:4-5 & 9-12

PSALM 60 TRUST GOD AND YOU’LL DO VALIANTLY

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

If your Master is the Lord God, you will pledge allegiance to him

As you trust the Almighty God, you will start to hate and resist sin

Those who rely on God alone will find much courage and insight

But all those who rely on their own strength remain foolish

Bring your weaknesses to him and you will do valiantly

He is your deliverer and will fight for you and defeat your enemy

Trust in the rock of your salvation and you will overcome your foes

If you trust your own, you will surely be fearful and eventually fail.

With the rise of psychology in the world of information age, many people rely on understanding their predicaments under this scientific study of the mind and behavior. I am not exempt in this fascination to understand why people behave and act as they do. When I was diagnosed with complex trauma, psychology has helped me understand what I went through and somehow led me to make sense of why I was raised in my family with the absence of love. It took over 12 years of counseling and therapy before I was awakened to know the truth in God’s word. Scripture is what truly healed and saved me from all those lies I believed in for half a century of my life. Those long years of human advice from the world of psychology didn’t include praising God for his truth that actually saves all of humanity. Fourteen years of daily studying the bible has given me such discernment that I never had all my life. Human counsel will never be at par with the wisdom that only comes from the word of the Lord. God’s word healed my mind and heart and exposed every lie that I have been told all those five decades of living. The truth has set me free from the bondage of sin and trauma.

In this psalm, the author is showing us that if we trust in the Lord alone, we will do valiantly. We will be able to see and discern what God has already given us authority over. There is no weapon formed against God’s people that will prosper. Trust only the divine power that comes from God and his word.

REFLECTION

  • What is usually the source of fear and anxiety in our lives? What’s the remedy to it?

PSALM 37 COMMIT YOUR WAY AND TRUST GOD

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July 15

PSALM 37

Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!
2 For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
   fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
   over the man who carries out evil devices! – Psalm 37:1-7

PSALM 37 COMMIT YOUR WAY AND TRUST GOD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you live as servants of God, you ought to trust in him

Never do things in your own strength or you will definitely sin

When you face trials, consult the Lord for good counsel

If you have plans, seek the Lord’s advice and you will prosper

Trust in God alone even if you don’t see results as you expect it

If you commit your way to him, he will act but you need to be patient.

The psalmist advises us to avoid envy. He assures them that the wicked may seem to be prosperous but there is no reason for the people of God to be envious of such because their riches or success will be momentary only. In verse 3, he exhorts them to trust God and continue to live in faithful devotion to him. In verse 4, he reminds them that loving the Lord is something to be rejoicing about. He used the phrase “Delight yourself in the Lord”- translated from the Hebrew root verb עָנַג (anag). It means to find soft, exquisite pleasure or luxury in God. In other words, to delight would involve a love for that person. God wants his people not just to follow or do what he says because he says so, but to reciprocate the love that he bestows on all his people. When couples are newly married, they are so delighted in each other during the honeymoon phase of their relationship. As time flies, some marriages become duty bound responsibility and the delight dies out. Just like the charge of Jesus against the church in Ephesus in Revelation 2:4, they have forsaken the love you had at first. They have become lukewarm and no longer delighted in Jesus. It would be wise for all believers to never forget the first time they committed their lives to the Lord. In verse 5, we are encouraged to bring all our plans, dreams and wishes to the Lord so that we will do what is right in his eyes and not in our own eyes. In James 4:14-15 he reiterates this concept of committing your way to God when he says “whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. To leave God out of your life is purely “boasting.”

REFLECTION

·       How is not seeking God’s counsel and his will an act of defiance, pride and mistrust?

PSALM 37 COMMIT YOUR WAY AND TRUST GOD

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July 15

PSALM 37

Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!
2 For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
   fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
   over the man who carries out evil devices! – Psalm 37:1-7

PSALM 37 COMMIT YOUR WAY AND TRUST GOD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you live as servants of God, you ought to trust in him

Never do things in your own strength or you will definitely sin

When you face trials, consult the Lord for good counsel

If you have plans, seek the Lord’s advice and you will prosper

Trust in God alone even if you don’t see results as you expect it

If you commit your way to him, he will act but you need to be patient.

The psalmist advises us to avoid envy. He assures them that the wicked may seem to be prosperous but there is no reason for the people of God to be envious of such because their riches or success will be momentary only. In verse 3, he exhorts them to trust God and continue to live in faithful devotion to him. In verse 4, he reminds them that loving the Lord is something to be rejoicing about. He used the phrase “Delight yourself in the Lord”- translated from the Hebrew root verb עָנַג (anag). It means to find soft, exquisite pleasure or luxury in God. In other words, to delight would involve a love for that person. God wants his people not just to follow or do what he says because he says so, but to reciprocate the love that he bestows on all his people. When couples are newly married, they are so delighted in each other during the honeymoon phase of their relationship. As time flies, some marriages become duty bound responsibility and the delight dies out. Just like the charge of Jesus against the church in Ephesus in Revelation 2:4, they have forsaken the love you had at first. They have become lukewarm and no longer delighted in Jesus. It would be wise for all believers to never forget the first time they committed their lives to the Lord. In verse 5, we are encouraged to bring all our plans, dreams and wishes to the Lord so that we will do what is right in his eyes and not in our own eyes. In James 4:14-15 he reiterates this concept of committing your way to God when he says “whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. To leave God out of your life is purely “boasting.”

REFLECTION

·       How is not seeking God’s counsel and his will an act of defiance, pride and mistrust?

PSALM 145 TO ALL WHO CALL ON THE LORD

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July 13

PSALM 145

14 The Lord upholds all who are falling  and raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you,   and you give them their food in due season.
16 You open your hand;  you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways  and kind in all his works.
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,   to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.
20 The Lord preserves all who love him,   but all the wicked he will destroy.

21 My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,   and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

                                                                                        – Psalm 145:14-21

PSALM 145 TO ALL WHO CALL ON THE LORD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you call on the Lord your God, he is near you

Don’t despair when you are in trouble, instead pray

The Lord is kind to all those who seek and trust him

He rescues them from all their transgressions and sins

The act of admitting that you don’t have all the answers

Is the embodiment of trusting and relying on our God Almighty.

When you are facing various trials and problems, who do you call? Is it your spouse, your parent, your sibling, your friend that you automatically run to? You may have answered one of those that I mentioned here. What does that reveal about you? We usually run to the closest person we are connected to, don’t we? Most often than not, God is the last person that we go to. This is inherent in all humans. We are stained by the original sin of pride and arrogance. Instead of running to our Maker, we try to solve our problems first, and then seek comfort from all those closest to us.

In this psalm, we witness a king who though in position of authority and power, still sought God’s counsel first before anyone else. He is very much aware of what is going on in his life but he never relied on his own understanding and strength. In fact, David acknowledged all his weaknesses and used all troubling occasions to declare his knowledge of his faithful and mighty God. He also humbly admitted his inability to understand how all those whom he loved and trusted were the one who actually betrayed him. He wasn’t running from his feelings and defeated by despair, instead, he ran to God crying out and begging God to do something about his enemies. He always recalls God’s promises and character in most of all his psalms, but in this account, he points out the importance of trusting the Lord and standing on all of his promises to him and his people. Instead of desperation, he gets assurance and consolation knowing that his God will always hear him and is always near him even though he doesn’t see him physically. We could learn such humility, trust and closeness with God from David.

REFLECTION

·       Why do you think not all Christians call on God first but resort to human help instead?