Only God’s Presence Can Keep Me Safe
BRD REFLECTIONS:
Ezekiel 10, 11 and Psalm 142 (NIV)
(Richard Thong, Chairperson, Precept@Wesley)
READ:
The following Bible verses stood out for me:
Ezekiel 10:18 Then the glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim.
Ezekiel 11:17 Therefore say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you from the countries among which you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.”
Psalm 142:5 I cried out to you, O Lord; I said, “You are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living”.
Psalm 142:7 Bring my soul out of prison, So that I may give thanks to Your name;
The righteous will surround me, For You will look after me.
OBSERVE:
In Psalm 142, David was running away from his persecutors and hiding in a cave, when he cried out to God for help, acknowledging that God would be his true refuge and sustenance.
In Ezekiel 10 & 11, Ezekiel had a prophetic vision of witnessing God’s glory departing from the temple in Jerusalem due to His people’s continued disobedience and idol worship. However, in the midst of God’s righteous judgement, He also offered the promise of a new heart and spirit through His restorative love and grace.
APPLY:
I am reminded that God is omnipresent and is faithful. His presence will be with me as I seek to walk right with Jesus daily.
Psalm 142
As David found solace in pouring out his heart and soul to God in the midst of hopelessness and despair, I too can find comfort by resting in God’s providence and peace by pouring out my sorrow, worries and despair to God, knowing that He is sovereign and only He can keep me safe.
Ezekiel 10 & 11
As a child of God, I should not grieve the Holy Spirit by wandering around in my own ways. John 16:13 is a good reminder that the Holy Spirit will guide me into all truths.
DO:
I must develop a close personal relationship with God through deepening my faith in Jesus Christ so that I may walk in His ways. I will pray to my Abba father in good and bad times, so that I can call upon Him whenever I feel trapped, lonely and in despair.
In my daily life, in the stillness of my heart, I must also be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s prompting and leading.
PRAY:
Lord Jesus, thank you for these verses. Help me to remember that You are my refuge and strength, a very present help I can call upon whenever I am in despair. Guide me and prompt me, Holy Spirit, as I seek to be Christ’s disciple in my daily life.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
