Slippery and Uncertain

 

If I should say, “My foot has slipped,”

Your faithfulness, Lord, will support me.

When my anxious thoughts are many

Your comfort delights my soul.

Psalm 94:18-19 NASB

Have you ever lived in a place where winter storms would cover your world with ice and snow?  Sometimes our lives are like that - slippery and uncertain, like trying to navigate a long icy sidewalk or find your way out of the forest. 

Do you feel like the world you used to understand and accept no longer gives you a firm, sure place to stand or to walk?

This Psalm writer knows what to do when life is a slippery sidewalk.  He reaches out and holds on to the one - the only one - who can and will support him. 

He writes about how God will steady him, not just once, but always.  The writer speaks of God’s faithfulness - God, who is always faithful, trustworthy, and never failing,

God can and will support us always.

God is always at our side.  He is El Roi – “the God who sees me.”  He sees you when things are going well, and He catches you when the ice storm comes. 

But how can I know that He will hold me up?

God's Spirit tells us. (That’s where the second part of this verse comes in.)  “When my anxious thoughts are many, Your comfort delights my soul.” 

I’m not sure that “delights” is a word I would use, but the writer of this Psalm knew what he personally felt.  My words might be that God’s comfort “stills” my soul.  The feelings I have when I’m anxious really need the soothing touch of God’s care to calm and hold me. My anxious heart needs the comforting Spirit's touch.

God’s faithfulness does support us if we call out to Him, if we hold on to Him, and, I know we can trust Him when our world slips out from under us.

Isn’t it amazing how God’s people continue to speak to our hearts with words from the scriptures?  God is so good.

He has promised!

Have you ever thought about all the ways God has said He would walk this life with us?  The Bible speaks of God’s promises and His care for His children.

 Let’s take a walk in our minds. I picture this.

We walk on a mountain path, or our neighborhood, or any place we’re familiar with – a place we love – sometimes we’re alone or maybe strolling with a dear friend. The scent of the flowers and the song of our beautiful world welcomes us. We bask in the sunshine and walk that path feeling healthy and strong.  It’s a wonderful world!

I believe that most of us have taken walks, or hikes that have begun beautifully like that, but didn’t turn out to be at all like my picture. Yes, most of us have found walks through life that, instead of joy, bring disappointment and pain. 

The stroll down the path of our life may end up taking a wrong turn.  We may become lost in an area or a situation that we don’t know how to get out of, or even understand.  It could happen that our friends desert us. Silence greets us when we call for help – there is no one to listen.  We’re left totally alone. 

Or we may start out in the beautiful sunshine and end up in the middle of a thunderstorm with lightning searing the world around us. We find ourselves in the middle of a crisis that we were not ready for.  

Or we’ve always been healthy and feeling just fine, but on that road, something attacks our lives and we become weak and faint.  We can’t go on.  We are helpless. 

What then - when we’re alone, lost, helpless and unprepared? 

Listen to God’s encouraging reply. 

The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.  Deuteronomy 31:8 

He said, I’m going before you, checking the path, and then I’m going to be there, right along-side of you – with you.  I’ll always be there with you, I’ll never, never leave you.  Oh my child, don’t be afraid, don’t be discouraged with your life, your walk, your path.  I’m here.  Can’t you hear me?  I’m here! 

Again He replies. 

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. Jeremiah 29:12 

He said, I hear you!  Not just that, I’m listening when you talk to me.  I watch your face.  I see your tears.  I feel the heaving of your sobs.  When you cry out to me, I hear your voice, I hear your heart, your hurt and your troubles.  I hear you!                     

God tells us. 

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10 

He said, I am strong enough for both of us.  I know you don’t have the strength to go on, but I do, and I will impart my strength to you.  I will help you.  You know you need my help.  I won’t just pick you up, I will hold you up. 

He will hold us, strengthen us, walk with us, and love us.  We have no reason to spend our lives in fear.

Love, Diane