UNWAVERING and UNFLAPPABLE

“I have set Adonai always before me. Since He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” (Psalm 16:8-9)

Are there times when you have wondered how Bible characters were not afraid to risk public shame to obey God in their day? Or, how a prestigious and well reputable man such as the apostle Paul could have been robbed of his civil rights as a Roman citizen? Yet he did not abandon his faith even while he was treated unjustly, humiliated, shipwrecked, and imprisoned. Then there is King David, who experienced heartaches, dangers, and deep sorrows during the reign of king Saul. He fled from being discovered; he lived in caves and hid in the woods, but somehow seemed to not only survive but thrive despite all the hardships. Joseph, the father of our Lord, was a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace his betrothed wife publicly, made up his mind to dismiss her secretly. But while he considered these things, an angel of Adonai appeared to him in a dream saying: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Miriam (Mary) as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Ruach ha-Kodesh…”(Matthew 1:21-23 TLV) When Joseph awoke from his sleep he did as the angel of Adonai commanded him, risking the disgrace and public opinion, he yielded himself as an instrument of almighty God in the miraculous birth of Yeshua.

In the same manner, by learning and heeding God’s ways, you too can receive all the strength you need to be obedient and remain firmly grounded in your faith. It is not merely your own ability, but the power of Christ operating in you that can banish fear and misunderstanding. God is keenly aware of whatever challenges you face along life’s pathway. His loving care, strength, power, and provision will be yours in seasons of ridicule, suffering, and despair in life. So, you too can join the Psalmist saying: “Lord, You light my lamp; my God illuminates my darkness. With You I can attack a barrier, and with my God I can leap over a wall.” (Psalm 18:28-29)