April 8 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

Psalm 121 is a beautiful psalm of encouragement. Many individuals have recited these words when faced with intense grief, worry, distress, sickness or financial hardship. This psalm belongs to a collection of songs that were first sung by the people of God as they made their way to the temple. The road they took to Jerusalem wasn’t exactly easy. It was all uphill through rugged terrain. The worshippers passed steep ravines and deserted countryside. They could be confronted by thieves and murderers. It was hot during the day as the sun would beat down on them and nightfall could be ominous, as wild animals lurked and roamed. You can understand that those journeying to the place of worship might be tempted to cancel the trip and stay home. True, strength and help may come from the Lord but if the dangers are great, why put yourself and your family at risk? Why bother with the whole worship experience?

We don’t face the same kind of dangers as the psalmist did, but if we want to be faithful to the Lord we will be faced with plenty of challenges, temptations and questions. That’s not always a bad thing. For it is when we get out of our comfort zone and face the challenges of the journey that we come to see how the Lord is faithful to His Word and will never let us down. The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ will take us through every difficulty. The Maker of heaven and earth is the LORD. He is in a relationship with us and will see us through to the end.

As you read this psalm, did you note the repetition of God’s covenant name? The LORD watches, is our shade and will keep us from all harm! The living God, who has been with us to this point in our life, will not let us down. Life is complex and filled with a minefield of dangers that could blow up our security. But the Lord has the power to defuse every danger.

We need to have our eyes fixed on the One who keeps an eye on us! The Lord is our Keeper. He sent us the great Helper, the Holy Spirit, to keep us in the truth. Today, when you lift up your eyes and look to the hills, you see in the distance the cross of Christ. That’s where we find the greatest evidence that the Lord is our Keeper and Helper. The hill of Golgotha, where Jesus was crucified, tells us that our Keeper is ever faithful to His promises.