Lessons from the 'Midst of Trouble'

"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me.  You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies and Your right hand will save me."   Psalm 138:7

This was the verse God led me to write down on an index card for today.  As soon as I saw it I thought, "Uh oh.  In the midst of trouble...?  That doesn't sound good.  Will there ever be a day when I do not have to walk in the midst of trouble on this earth?" 

As I reflect on the events of the day, yes, I can see how God is good, and His Word was just what I'd need.  He was good to have given me that scripture to cling to throughout the day.  A few things He has pointed out to me from that scripture are:

Though I am "walking in the midst of trouble...."  Sometimes we feel like we're surrounded by trouble, and this word "trouble" means "Affliction, distress, adversity, anguish, tribulation."   It's very difficult and exhausting to STAND UP, much less WALK in the midst of affliction, distress, anguish, tribulation and adversity, isn't it?  But here we see God has promised that even though we are walking in the midst of trouble, HE will revive us.  He will revive our exhausted spirit as we strive to keep walking with Him, even in our storms. 

What if our storms are caused by an enemy that could be compared to a fire breathing dragon?  An angry person whose behavior is irrational?  God says He will stretch out His hand against the wrath of our enemies.  I noticed something in this verse though.  It doesn't say He will stretch out His hand against our enemies, but instead, against their wrath. . their anger. . .the fire that they are spewing out.  Psalm 76:10 says  Surely the wrath of man shall praise you: the remainder of wrath shall you restrain.  God can use even the very wrath and anger of man to bring Himself glory.  "...the sins of the wicked are made an occasion for the display of the divine perfections in maintaining law; in the administering of justice; in preserving order. But there is another sense, also, in which the wrath of man is made the occasion for glorifying God. It is, that since there is such wrath, or since there are such wicked purposes, God makes use of that wrath, or of those wicked purposes, as he does of the powers of nature - of pestilence, disease, and storms, as instruments to accomplish his own designs, or to bring about great results...." (Barnes' Notes on the Bible) 

And it's good to note that He says, "The remainder of that wrath He will refrain."  The leftovers that He doesn't use for His glory, well, He'll just bind it up...and the wrath of our enemies can do us no harm.  It's like having a barking dog on a short chain.  The dog can snarl and bark for ever how long it wants to, but as long as it's bound by that chain, it can do us no harm, providing we are not within its reach.

 

And the last part of today's verse:  His right hand will save us.  What a picture!  Who is seated at the Father's right hand?  None other than our Savior-- Jesus!   So God wants us to understand that He will spare no expense or strength to save (deliver) us from our enemy.  And He has SPARED NO expense, because He gave us His Son, Who gave His life as the payment for OUR SIN.  Jesus saves!  AND He will deliver you and me from whatever our enemy spews out at us each day. 

Just remember though, we've got to keep walking. :o)

Father, I needed this verse today.  Thank You for this lesson from Your Word.  Apply this Word to my heart like an ointment, that will heal and strengthen me.  Thank You for Your precious promises!  I claim this one tonight, and pray for my fellow sisters and brothers out there who may be walking in the midst of trouble.  Stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of our enemy, who is Satan... and we thank You for the promise that Jesus, Who is at Your right hand, will deliver us!  In His name I pray, Amen.