“David, your mom is waiting for you.”
David was startled at the sound of his teacher Gloria’s voice “Where?”
“At the playground,” she answered kindly.
David hurried down the stairs that led up to the home he had known for almost a whole year. He was one of thirty children who lived in the home that served as a refuge for children who needed protection.
He looked around. Nearby on a bench, watching a toddler play, was a young woman, who was apparently expecting another child soon.
“Mom!” David ran to her and gave her a big hug.
She hugged him tightly. “David, you’ve grown so much. Tell me what you’ve been doing. What have you been learning at school? Are you happy here?”
David started talking and smiling, telling his mom about his classes, his friends, and the fun activities he got to do with his foster family. He played with his little brother and held him. But, after a while, his mom got up, put her bag on her shoulder, and took the toddler’s hand. “It’s time for me to go,” she said.
Pain struck through David’s heart. He threw his arms around her. “When can I go back with you?” he asked, fighting tears.
David’s mother had a sad look on her face. It was too hard to explain her situation to her little boy. That the safest place for him was there. That she needed a safe place too.
As the door closed behind her, David turned and ran. Gloria found him behind one of the slides.
“David,” she said gently, “it’s not that your mom doesn’t love you. But she needs help too and can’t take care of you in the way she wants to right now. But you’ve been learning about a strong Father who is always there for His children. He’s with you, even if others can’t be. Who is that?”
“God,” David answered, looking up through his tears.
“That’s right. God is our refuge–our place of help and comfort. Jesus understands the hurt you’re feeling because He experienced the pain of our broken world too when He came to save us. Would you like us to pray to Him right now?”
David nodded. “Yes. And let’s pray that He will help my mom too.”
Psalm 27 reminds us that in times of joy or in days of distress, when we look for God, we will find Him when we remember what He has done for us in the past. We also find Him when we turn to the cross and the empty tomb. Jesus assures us that God has not forgotten us. God has said, “Seek my face,” and He is waiting to be found because, in Christ, He first sought and found us.
In verses 5-6, we see how David dealt with his fear and trouble; he looked to his confidence and his salvation-God. When believers encounter trouble and put worshipping God as the centre of their lives, He lifts their heads and hearts. Seeing the greatness of Almighty God changes one’s perspective on trouble.
When David prayed in his times of trouble, he realized how dependent he was on God’s provision. In humble submission, he sought the Lord’s presence, counsel, and fellowship, and then resolved to wait for and do whatever God told him to do.
In calling God by name, as David does, we enter into a direct relationship with God. David asked God not to reject him and not to be angry. David also reminded God of His goodness in the past. David did not want to be abandoned by God. In ancient Israel, abandonment by family was a death experience.
David mentioned “a time of trouble” in verse 5 and of his head being lifted above his enemies in verse 6. His prayer for God not to abandon him is also related to God’s using his enemies as instruments of judgment. David prays for God’s path and direction to be made clear. To be led in that way means to be taught by the Lord and to be guided on a smooth path through our enemies. David’s actions exposed the deception in the attacks from his enemies. If God delivered David to his enemies, that would be improper judgment upon David.
Even though the people closest to David might abandon him, the Lord would always be concerned about and care for him. Similarly, even if the people closest to us might abandon us, God will always be concerned for us. He will always care for us, and He will never abandon us.
The most serious illness today is not COVID-19 or other respiratory diseases. It is the loss of hope. With the exception of pockets of Christians there is an atmosphere of gloom in the air. We, like David, need a renewal of faith so that we may see God’s goodness, His kingdom in our day, in the land of the living.
The primary way God guides us is by reminding us of what we have read in the Bible. That’s why we read the Bible. We store its words in our minds, and the Holy Spirit helps us remember. He also guides us by giving us impressions and ideas. When we respond to impressions and ideas, He will fill in the details.
God wants to bless us, even when we face hardships. We can be confident that we will see God’s goodness in our lives here on earth. Our outcomes may not always be what we want them to be, but we can always expect God’s favour to find us because the Lord of Creation lives inside of us and His essence is love itself.
If we tear open a cocoon to set a butterfly free, the creature’s wings will be severely underdeveloped. This is because the very act of struggling to leave the cocoon strengthens the butterfly’s wings, preparing it for flight. We also have times of transition and change, but our remedy is similar to that of the butterfly. If we try to escape from God’s cocoon before He’s done transforming us, we risk undermining and delaying what He is trying to do. When we are in God’s cocoon, all we have to do is relax! In the stillness, we hear God. In the waiting, our characters are formed. If we wait upon God and allow Him to release us from the cocoon, we will be strong and prepared to fly in ways we never could have if we had left the cocoon too soon.
Fear is a powerful emotion that can take our attention off of God—if we allow it. Psalm 27 will help us overcome fear if fear has become part of our daily lives. In the words of former United States President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, “The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.” David was able to stand firm even though he experienced some difficult and scary circumstances. Instead of giving in to fearful thoughts and feelings, he claimed God as his light, salvation, and stronghold.
When God gives us His Light, we don’t have to be afraid of the dark. We don’t need to fear the power of our enemies when we walk in the power of the Holy Spirit. We can expect and trust to receive God’s help and salvation right now, in the heat of the battle with our enemies. We need to live with the same attitude David had. God directed David’s steps, and He can direct our steps. God brought the right people across David’s path when David was in trouble, and God can bring the right people across our paths when we face life’s challenges.
Certain situations use up all of the emotional, physical, and spiritual strength we have. When we feel the weight of the world on our shoulders, we can carry it on our own or we can look to God. Our burdens are light to Him. As we meditate on His promises when we face the storms of life, and listen for His guidance, He will remind us that our situation is not the end of the story. He is the God of possibilities and hope. He gives us a bright future.
We should never be downcast or sad. Christ has achieved victory over evil, our misses, and death. Our days of turmoil and our days of joy will mix and mingle with one another and add up to a lifetime. If they are lived well, they will look like Jesus.
A man was bored in retirement, so he became a Wal-Mart greeter. The customers loved his cheerful and engaging personality, but there was a problem. He was always late for work, so the manager called him into his office. He said, “Without question you are one of our best greeters, but you are always late. I know your career was in the military. What did they say when you showed up late?” The man replied, “Well, they usually said, ‘Good morning General. May I bring you a cup of coffee?’”
Do you ever think God is late? Do you ever wonder if He will show up to help you? The truth is that God’s timing is always perfect. Our waiting on Him deepens our closeness to Him. God will always show up in the nick of time, and He is always worth the wait.
Are there times when you feel alone? Have you been disappointed by people you expected to be there when you needed help or love? Even the people who love us the most aren’t able to give us all we need. People will fail because people are imperfect and we live in a broken world. But our heavenly Father will never fail us. He gave us His Son, Jesus, who is with us no matter what. His love never fails.
Bibliography
- Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 723-724)
- Williams, D., & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 13: Psalms 1-72 (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1986)
- Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2006)
- MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
- Joel Osteen, “It’s in His Hands.” Retrieved from www.goto.joelosteen.com
- Charles R. Swindoll, “Frozen by Fear.” Retrieved from info@insightforliving.ca
- Paris Renae, “Why.” Retrieved from Oneplace@crosswalkmail.com
- Dr. Ed Young, “God is Never Late.” Retrieved from ministry@winningwalk.org\
- Pastor Rick Warren, “Two Ways the Holy Spirit Guides You.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
- Steve Arterburn, “Time in the Cocoon.” Retrieved form Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
- Dr. David Jeremiah, “The Weight of the World.” Retrieved from turningpoint@davidjeremiah.org
- Rachel Avallone, “David’s Refuge.” Retrieved from info@keysforkids.org
Sermons From My Heart 