Intro: Yesterday, I read a quote by educator and author Edith Hamilton, “Love cannot live where there is no trust.” I found the quote remarkably interesting because I talk to people every day who find themselves with trust issues—living in the present, but focused on negative experiences that happened in the past. In our personal relationships, it is very difficult to move beyond trust issues when someone we respect or love betrays our trust. We can be afraid to trust, again. When we face those times, we need the love of God in order to heal and move forward.
Human beings are flawed; we can have an ugly side that is very selfish. However, God is pure love and he can always be trusted (1 John 4:7-21). It is the love of God that leads believers to place their trust in him (John 3:16). Every challenge we face in life is an opportunity to grow in our trust of God; within those challenges God reveals even then the ways he is loving us. There is a huge difference in how God loves and how flawed humans love. Oh, that we would be more like Jesus! God’s love is holy and stedfast; we can always trust his promises. Human love is fleshy and faltering that’s why God made a way of salvation for us. We can have an expectation for the love of God, but there will be plenty of times we will need to be merciful with everyone else…and everyone else will need to be merciful with us. Love keeps no record of being wronged (1 Cor 13:4-7).
In our passage from the Psalter today, we are reminded to trust God, because he is our Shelter when we are afraid to trust—we trade our fears for faith in his love for us. God has promised to protect us and keep us safe even in the midst of great stress and challenging situations. Yes, even in the midst of injustice. He has promised to restore us when we find ourselves wounded. You can trust God wholeheartedly; let him be your safe place of love, today.
Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16 NLT
1
Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2
This I declare about the Lord:He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.
3
For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.
4
He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
5
Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day.
6
Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
14
The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
15
When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
16
I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”
Prayer: Lord, thank you for being our promised place of safety. Shelter us with the wings of your Spirit and fill us with pure love, trust, and strength today. Thank you for always being with us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.