The One Whom I Can Rely On!
BRD REFLECTIONS
Revelation 5 and Psalm 120, 121 (NIV)
(Victor Chan, Pastoral Team Member, Pastoral Care)
READ:
Psalm 121:1-8 (NIV)
OBSERVE:
Psalm 121 is “a song of ascents” which the worshippers sang as they made their religious pilgrimage to Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish feasts and worship in the temple. Geographically, Jerusalem is a city located on a mountainous area with no paved roads. It was actually a laborious task of making the journey uphill filled with dangers from nature, people and animals. All these dangers can weigh down a person mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. This psalm was sung to encourage and strengthen the worshippers as they journeyed on the long, weary and demanding trip till they reached the destination.
In fact, Psalm 121 gives reasons for why I can rely on God.
Firstly, God is my Strength Supplier (verses 1-2). The psalmist focuses on God and trusts in Him that he will be able to press on and complete the journey despite the difficulties. He relies on God for the strength needed because He is the Creator which all things originated from.
Secondly, God is my Sentinel (verses 3-4). God Himself is the One who guards the psalmist. He is vigilant and will watch over and protect him. He is there to give support if the psalmist slips or falls.
Thirdly, God is my Protector (verses 5-6). God will shield and shade the psalmist from the blazing heat of the sun so that the psalmist will not be weary or suffer any heatstroke. He will find relief and comfort in God.
Fourthly, God is my Saviour (verses 7-8). God is the Saviour who will protect and preserve the psalmist’s life from all dangers that will cross his path. He will watch over the psalmist’s coming in and going out of Jerusalem, and will continue to do so in the future.
APPLY:
The moment that we take our first breath in this world, we are on a journey called life. This journey is filled with moments of love, joy, anger, pain and suffering. It is only when we reach the end of our lives, that we will complete our life journey. It is always easy to move on in our life journey when everything is going well. However, when we face challenges and difficulties, those are moments where we are at a loss and in need of help and support.
As a Christian, I too experienced my fair share of challenges and difficulties at every stages of my life. Loss of job, struck with sickness, family issues, back-stabbing by people whom you trust, accidents, losing loved ones… But I am reminded that because I have a Saviour, I can always look towards Him for strength, support and protection. He goes before me to pave the way, He protects me from my back, He surrounds me with His angels and He lifts me up whenever I am down. I only need to focus on Him daily, and more so in my times of need. My life journey is not to be “Living In Fear Every Day”. It should be “Living In Faith Every Day”. That is the “LIFE” that I should be living in Christ, knowing that He is the Strength Supplier for my life journey until my time is up; it is where I am with Him, worshipping Him and enjoying Him forever.
DO:
I must always focus on and look up exclusively to God for help first. I should not look to my left or right to others for help as sometimes they might fail or disappoint me. I should not look down and dwell on self-pity and feel dejected. I should lean wholly on Him to meet the demands and challenges I face in life. Only God is able to grant me the grace that I need to persevere on and navigate through life’s journey. I should cast all my cares on Him because He cares for me and He will give me divine strength. He is my Sentinel. He is my Protector. He is my Saviour who can protect and rescue me, especially in my times of need!
PRAY:
Father God, help me to always focus on You as I press on in my life journey. I confess that at times I was distracted and tempted by the world and was weighed down by the challenges in life. Forgive me when I failed to look towards You. You are my Divine Strength Supplier, the Sentinel who guards me, the Protector of my life and my Saviour! May I always remember that I only need to lean wholly upon You for strength to persevere on and navigate through my life journey. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
