The Lord also keeps safe those who suffer. He is a safe place in times of trouble. Those who know Your name will put their trust in You. For You, O Lord, have never left alone those who look for You. Psalm 9:9-10
Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived. But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. 2 Timothy 3:12-14
The Lord is my light and my salvation; he protects me from danger—whom shall I fear? When evil men come to destroy me, they will stumble and fall! Yes, though a mighty army marches against me, my heart shall know no fear! I am confident that God will save me. The one thing I want from God, the thing I seek most of all, is the privilege of meditating in his Temple, living in his presence every day of my life, delighting in his incomparable perfections and glory. There I’ll be when troubles come. He will hide me. He will set me on a high rock out of reach of all my enemies. Then I will bring him sacrifices and sing his praises with much joy. Psalm 27:1-6
This is week three of a four-week devotional series entitled, “New Person.” The Christian life is all about becoming a "new person" with a "new life." Our "New Person" Devotional Series examines what it means to be a new person with a new life through our relationship with Christ. Transitioning from the old person and old life to the new person and new life is a major challenge. Things from the old person and old life can be carried over and interfere with the new person and new life that God has in mind for us. Things like a lack of security, a lack of significance, and a lack of acceptance from the old person and old life often mess with who we are in Christ and our becoming a “new person” with a “new life.” The Series has four weeks of Devotional material and each week has six Devotionals. The first week lays a foundation for the
series and the other three focus on our acceptance, security, and significance through our relationship with Christ. We hope that those who go through the “New Person” Devotional Series will be further established in the identity and life they have in Christ. Week one: Portrait of New Life. Week two: Freedom of Acceptance. Week three: Provision of Security. Week four: Realization of Significance. We begin week three: Provision of Security, with the following:
We often associate security, protection, and safety with the defenders of society (military, police, firefighters, etc.) But security, protection and safety are things we associate with God as well. His provision comes to us on many levels, but it is in spiritual matters that security, protection, and safety play a central role in our lives.
When we respond to Christ and receive the gift of eternal salvation, his forgiveness brings to us a love and acceptance that can release us from our past and allow us to go forward flourishing as a changed person who experiences God's very best. Being a new person with a new life is what our series is all about and exchanging insecurity for security will have a lot to do with how fully we become the new person with a new life that Christ has in store for us. There are adverse circumstances and people who come up against us in life that pose a genuine threat to our personal well-being. This is the arena in which we learn to exchange insecurity for the security we have in Christ.
In Psalm 9 above we are told the Lord keeps safe those who suffer. The Lord is said to be a safe place in time of trouble. And we are told the Lord never leaves alone those who look to him and trust him. The 2 Timothy passage above says that those who live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Remaining faithful to the one who provides true security, protection, and safety is the key. Psalm 27 above reminds us that the Lord protects us from danger whatever the danger might be. The Psalmist speaks of living in God's presence every day of his life. It is here he says he will be when troubles come. God will hide him and set him on a high rock out of reach of all his enemies. Throughout the coming week we will further explore exchanging insecurity for security so that we can more readily and fully join the Psalmist in his great and wonderful approach for living life securely in a threatening world.
Lord, I thank you for the security, protection, and safety that you have provided for me. I ask you to release me from those things from my past that I have carried into my relationship with you that interfere with me going forward in the fullness of all you have in store for me. Place me more squarely in the center of your grace so that your love, acceptance, security, protection, and safety can help me change and help me become all that I really am in Christ. Amen!
