Psalm 27:1b
“The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
Suggested Scripture reading – I Samuel 19
The businessman in Japan had been a Christian for only a short while. He worked hard for his company but there were times when he was instructed to do things that violated his Christian conscience. Some times he was told to lie to a client. There were times when he was instructed to be dishonest about how materials were handled. His company held meetings in distant cities and after the meetings all the people in the office would go drinking and to places that he could not go and maintain a proper relationship with the Lord. When he did not participate he was made to feel as if he was not being part of the team. After a time he began to notice that the bonuses and promotions were being denied to him. False rumors were circulated about him that affected the jobs he was given. He began to realize that he was being treated this way because he would not compromise his convictions. He was held back and penalized because he was a Christian.
The businessman was in a situation that was not all that much different from where David found himself in I Samuel 19. David had come into King Saul’s court at the King’s invitation. His bravery in the battle with Goliath had brought David to Saul’s attention. His skill, integrity and loyalty had won a place for him in Saul’s court and even into his family. Things went well for David and Saul at first, but as David proved his worth and his ability in battle, the people began to say, “Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” (I Samuel 18:7) This caused jealousy to arise in the heart of Saul. Soon he began to fear that David would steal his throne and usurp his place as king of Israel. Saul’s envy brought hatred and soon David was on the run. Finally, David found himself in the cave of Adullam hiding from Saul. While there, he attracted all the distressed, disadvantaged and debtors in Israel. It was during experiences like this that David learned the lesson he expresses in Psalm 27:1. “The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” God gave him the strength to face Saul’s hatred. God was the source of the strength for his life. He discovered that, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1) With this strength he could face his enemies and allow God to deal with them as he chose.
The trials of our businessman were hard but in the midst of them he found that the Heavenly Father gave him grace, an unusual peace and courage. He learned that he did not need to fear those who despised his Christian testimony. Because of his faithfulness, his Heavenly Father would more than make up for what he might loose because of their hatred.
When the Lord is the strength of your heart,
of whom should you be afraid?
Romans 8:31
“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”
[podcast]https://lifeabovefear.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/030-PRECIOUS-IN-HIS-SIGHT.mp3[/podcast]
