OYB: JAN 18

OYB Blog: Jan 18

Psalm 16
Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you."
As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight.
The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on my lips.
The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
I have set the LORD always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Here on earth, in time, we are surrounded by enemies. Sometimes those enemies are people; sometimes they are not. One such enemy is cancer--a distortion of God's good creation gone amuck. While I have no direct experience, a friend is warring with the effects of this enemy. The truth of this passage gives the context for such wars. The enemy itself is inherently an evil--there is no way around that--but God is inherently good. Not just “a good” mind you, but good in himself.

In the midst of deep sorrow and anger and questioning, God is the one in whose presence there are pleasures forevermore. This does not make the darkness go away, but it certainly helps us hang on to the truth that there is infinite light that will overcome all the darkness, even if for now this does not seem to be the case.

Tag(s): one year bible

“Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” http://www.esv.org/