Post by Admin on May 3, 2018 6:39:35 GMT
Tonight’s session, subtitled “The God Who Calms Fears,” opened with this challenge to the discussion group: on a scale of one-to-ten, how would you rate your anxiety (one meaning you seldom worry and ten that you constantly worry). A few people were at each extreme of the range, and many were in the middle or upper reaches. We talked about what makes us anxious, and why – often fears of something happening in the future we do not want to happen, and cannot prevent.
After reading Psalm 27, we delved into how David proclaims his confidence in the Lord, and we could all remember Bible stories, such as David facing Goliath, that could justify David’s certainty. We talked about how David experienced success fighting off lions and bears as a child, which gave him the courage to know that God would help him defeat Goliath – so, recognizing the little spiritual battles we win with God’s help should equip us with assurance that He is with us in every situation ahead.
Delving further, however, the Psalm seems to cover more ground. It opens with tough talk about exterior threats and dangers, which God has protected against in the past. Then David’s song moves to matters of the heart, implying that he struggles with internal problems, perhaps the temptations of sin, and wants instead to have God’s help to seek Him and find refuge with Him. As we have noticed with other Psalms, David is working through a complex set of concerns in his song. This one reads very much like a prayer, following the pattern in the PRAY acronym: he starts by praising God for his protection, then repents that he has done wrong, asks God to help him find the right path, and finally, yields to God through his call to “wait.” And he expects to see changes in his life now (verse 13), not in some heavenly future. Forever with the Lord has already started for David.
Tonight’s hymn reading was verse 3 of Martin Luther’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”
And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God has willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo! his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.
After reading Psalm 27, we delved into how David proclaims his confidence in the Lord, and we could all remember Bible stories, such as David facing Goliath, that could justify David’s certainty. We talked about how David experienced success fighting off lions and bears as a child, which gave him the courage to know that God would help him defeat Goliath – so, recognizing the little spiritual battles we win with God’s help should equip us with assurance that He is with us in every situation ahead.
Delving further, however, the Psalm seems to cover more ground. It opens with tough talk about exterior threats and dangers, which God has protected against in the past. Then David’s song moves to matters of the heart, implying that he struggles with internal problems, perhaps the temptations of sin, and wants instead to have God’s help to seek Him and find refuge with Him. As we have noticed with other Psalms, David is working through a complex set of concerns in his song. This one reads very much like a prayer, following the pattern in the PRAY acronym: he starts by praising God for his protection, then repents that he has done wrong, asks God to help him find the right path, and finally, yields to God through his call to “wait.” And he expects to see changes in his life now (verse 13), not in some heavenly future. Forever with the Lord has already started for David.
Tonight’s hymn reading was verse 3 of Martin Luther’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”
And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God has willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo! his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.