Fearless in Sickness Day 11

(This is part of a series of devotionals for use during coronavirus quarantine. You can download the devotional guide here.)

Scripture Reading: Psalm 118:1-9

Reflection

“What can man do to me?” the Psalmist asks. This question is telling. He is apparently facing international turmoil, the possibility of death, and divine chastisement. Certainly, his life is not what we would traditionally think of as “blessed.”

What can the world do to us? On one level, the answer is “quite a lot.” It can hurt us. It can exclude us. It can rob us. It can make us sick. It can even kill our bodies.

What can the world do to us? On a deeper level, though, the answer is “nothing that endures.” In Jesus Christ, we have the victory. We have a secure inheritance with Him. We have acceptance and fellowship in Him. Even if this world breaks our bodies, our souls will rest secure and those bodies will be raised again, imperishable.

Trusting in the steadfast love of the Lord means we recognize that deeper truth. As the old hymn has it: “Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also; the body they may kill: God's truth abideth still; his kingdom is forever!”

A Prayer for Perspective

Father,

We often live in the terrifying grip of the now. We see obstacles and enemies all around us, looming large, filling our vision. We pray that in Your steadfast love You would meet us in the now and remind us of the always. Lift our spirits that we might behold our challenges from the vantage point of Your throne and see how small they really are. Give us a fearless confidence that empowers us for self-sacrificial love. All of this we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

AMEN

A Hymn