The faith triumph of the fear

"The Lord is my light and my salvation : of whom shall I be afraid ? The Lord is the strength of my life : of whom shall I be afraid ?" Psalm 27. 1

David, this king chosen by God, long pursued by Saul, offers us in this psalm precious teachings for prayer. His experience can help us in the world today, so difficult to live our Christian life.

David begins by affirming who God is for him : light, salvation and strength. It is with such a God that he interacts. The light illuminates its sometimes difficult choices. Salvation is the deliverance which he feels in difficulties. The force protects him, sometimes without his being aware of it. To affirm who Jesus is for me - my light, my salvation, my strength, and many other qualifications - allows me to receive the same help.

Surprisingly, the psalmist makes no specific demand related to his own circumstances. On the other hand, he seeks the closeness of God: "I have asked one thing of Jehovah, and I will seek it, because I dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, Beauty of the Lord and to inquire diligently of him in his temple "(v. 4). We can live this closeness with Jesus by meditating, in the Gospels, his many encounters with his contemporaries, a true source of peace and encouragement.

On the other hand, David remembers the faithfulness of God "who will gather him" (v. 10) even if his closest followers abandon him. He probably experienced it. The trials he will know, he knows that he can live with God. We can also relive past difficult times, remind ourselves of our anguished prayers, but also the memory of peace enjoyed. To think how close Jesus was to us in such and such a circumstance, revive our confidence in his fidelity and encourage our faith.

The secret David reveals in this Psalm is precisely to remain in the closeness of God in order to enjoy his peace in all circumstances. This same closeness lived with Jesus will allow the bad days to hold fast in adversity. Like David, we will expose our requests to God through prayer and supplication ... and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will keep our hearts and our thoughts in Christ Jesus "(Phil 4: 10).

Source (Please the Lord)