One Thing

If He is first in your life, this statement is very reassuring. If He is not as important as He should be in our life, then this statement isn’t that powerful to your spirit.  

For me, if I lose God in my life, I lose everything! I have suffered much loss but knowing that I never will lose God’s active presence and intervention in my life is extremely comforting to me. He not only says His presence we can never lose but tells us that we absolutely need it. God’s Presence is with YOU! This should bring us into a place of rest. 

If we truly believe what His Word says, we must believe this is HOW we find rest for our souls. Here’s the promise:

If we dissect these verses and look at them a little deeper, I think we will gain something.  Let’s begin: 

Verse 5, as the Psalmist begins, he is speaking to his soul saying, “Find rest, O my soul…”  He is telling, actually commanding, his soul to find rest in God and to declare His hope in God alone.

In Verse 6, he continues, “He alone is my rock; He alone, is my salvation…He alone, is my fortress.”  He is indicating ONLY GOD can be our rock, our salvation, our fortress.

A fortress is a barrier that surrounds one and protects from outside intruders. He will not allow anything to penetrate his hope or destroy his spirit.  He is declaring he will NOT be shaken by what is going on around him.  He is placing hope and rest as a barrier around his soul, to protect his emotions by not being shaken.  He is taking a stand to believe–God is his refuge.

Moving along in verse 7, he is saying “His salvation and his honor is from God.” He is not taking any credit for achieving that but reminding himself that God IS his rock–his rock that’s mighty.  God IS his refuge–His strength.  He is totally relying and depending on God.  What a place to surrender, to rest and dwell here, continually.  

In Verse 8, he is then encouraging others by stating: “At all times trust God.” He encourages us to pour our hearts out to God–for HE IS our refuge, our place of refuge, where we must rest.

All of these verses are an exhortation to himself, to the people, and even to us who are reading them many years later. 

When we receive our encouragement from the Lord, first; then, what God does, is then use this encouragement for us, then we use it to help others.  See the multiplication effect!  God always has others in mind. God always has a bigger picture and is restoring not only us individually, but then restoring others in the process. What a mighty God we serve. It’s never just about us. It’s always about all people.

The end of the Psalm finishes like this:

This is the climax. This is a recollection of God’s reassuring word to His people. He is able to do all that He has promised; committed to His people’s salvation and blessedness. When He says, “…You O Lord, are loving…” He is declaring that God will save me because of His unfailing love.  

He closes the Psalm by reminding us of God’s rewards.

For“…His eyes are open to all the ways of men; He rewards everyone according to our conduct and as our deeds deserve.”  Jeremiah 32: 19

“For the Son of Man is going to come in HIs Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will reward each person according to what He has done.”  Matthew 16: 27 

Yes, dear ones, we shall be rewarded for this commitment; for this is a commitment for ourselves and to God. Let’s make this a simple expression of trust in God, and in God alone. He shall reward those who diligently seek and trust Him.

This ONE THING can never be taken from us: