The LORD is my light and my salvation– whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life– of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1
GOD IS MY LIGHT AND STRONGHOLD
Of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation– whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life– of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1
I was shut up in my dark room, waiting for the waves of the flare to lift. Oh, how I had tried to keep my little light shining. I thought I had learned to spot the signs of the darkness encroaching; I thought I had recognized when the waves of pain would soon approach. But apparently, I had missed one too many of those signs, and I felt myself “forced” into an isolating rest. My own light had failed, and I struggled to glimpse how the light of my Savior could possibly shine in this darkened room of pain.
Do we know that the Lord is truly our light?
And if we do, then how do we let His light guide us through the dark days of pain and weakness?
David, the author of this Psalm, knew something of what it meant to face the dark places. King Saul had chased him and tried to take his very life. In fact, when David wrote of the Lord being his stronghold, he had spent his own time of desolation-dwelling in a place commonly known as “the strongholds of En Gedi.”
It was a forlorn place, with caves built into the sides of the cliffs that were perfect for hiding. A spring enclosed was hidden there with nourishing water for those who had survived the desert. Have you ever seen photos from Israeli tour groups who have walked through the desert land of En Gedi?
The utter desolation is shocking. How could God have led David to those dry and forsaken lands? And yet, that is precisely the phrase that David used, while he was cut off from his home: GOD is the stronghold of my life. He had come to realize that the very place that felt so forlorn had become God’s protection during the years of his enemy’s pursuit. God provided all that He needed during the days of desolation, even placing a spring of water in the middle of the barrenness.
REST IN THE LORD, OUR STRONGHOLD
The Greek word for “stronghold” here is defined as a: place or means of safety, protection, refuge, stronghold.
- How could we see that light of God shining forth in our own lives?
- Can we ask God to show us how He is being our safety, our protector, our refuge, our stronghold in these days when we feel forsaken and desolate?
- How would seeing that change our perspective from fear to trust?
Could it be that resting in this darkened room is the very place where JESUS is calling to me? Instead of seeing this as my “forced” resting place, perhaps He is asking me to shift my perspective, and to see that this is the place I “get” to rest, in the stronghold of my Lord.
Is He also calling you to find His safe stronghold? I would love to join with you in prayer today:
Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank you for your merciful compassion that sees into the deepest aching of our hearts. We are amazed that you see the true state of our condition, the true state of our need. And while we want to be shed of this battle and these desolate places of pain, you know that what we truly need is a place of light and hiding with you. Thank you for setting up these hidden springs where we can receive such grace and life from you. Will you forgive us for the times that we look away and try to find our own way out of the deserts? Help us to open our eyes to see the stronghold that you have prepared for us with YOU, right here in our hearts where you dwell in us.
In your precious name we pray,
Amen.
Bettie Gilbert
Board Member and Prayer Coordinator
You can find Bettie blogging from her home in a small town in southeast Wisconsin - at bettiegsraseasons.com, walking forward with Jesus, in the middle of her own pain and weaknesses from multiple chronic illnesses. The beauty of nature is a joy that calls to Bettie, as do her family and nine young grandchildren. She and her husband have been married for over 40 years and take great joy in their weekend coffee breaks together.
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Bettie, I am so sorry for all the pain you have endured over the years. Thank you for the overflowing comfort you continue sharing from that place of weakness, where God’s power is richly on display through you.
This so touched my heart, as I can so see the truth of this in my own story. It so affirmed me in the LORD: “He had come to realize that the very place that felt so forlorn had become God’s protection during the years of his enemy’s pursuit. God provided all that He needed during the days of desolation, even placing a spring of water in the middle of the barrenness.”
Oh how often I have bemoaned the very boundaries GOD has set in place – pleasant boundaries to restore, heal and refresh my heart and soul in Him – but boundaries that have sometimes made me question His goodness and kindness toward me. Praise God, He has been so gentle and patient with me.
As your life verse points out: His ways are so not our ways of doing things. I don’t think we will fully understand that either, until heaven. But I pray all the same that God will even now give you glorious glimpses of the restoration and redemption He is bringing to so many through your Word of testimony and the blood of the Lamb.
Dear Anna,
Oh, yes, He truly is so gentle and patient with us! That word “boundaries” is still an ongoing lesson for me too. But like you, I am beginning to see the beauty and the pleasant places that He has had in mind for me in every boundary and place of seeming desolation that He led me to. What a precious time of rejoicing we will have when He reveals to us the true greatness of His ways in Heaven! Thank you for all your sweet encouragement and love, dear friend. Blessings and love to you today.
Dear Bettie, it never ceases to amaze me how our wilderness experiences reveal a greater depth of God’s safekeeping and His endless love for us. When we think we cannot stand the arid depths and darkness of our pain any more, a stream of soul refreshment arises in our hearts or a nearby spring suddenly appears.
I thought of you when reading Isaiah 58:11 this morning. I’ll share the words here so you can see how apt they are for your current circumstances.
“ The Lord will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.‘
Blessings, love and prayers to you, dear sister. Your life is like a well-watered garden giving inspiration, hope, joy and encouragement to others. And your words are a healing balm for me, and for all who read them. May God grant you deeper rest and refreshment, and strength enough for the days ahead. xo
Oh Dear Joy,
Thank you so much for sharing that precious Scripture. Many years ago I prayed that same passage over a sweet sister who was in a very deep trial. And so to be reminded of it today, and to hear God speaking those words over my own life is such a humbling blessing. His grace is truly so sufficient for us in every desert and stormy trial. May you be filled with comfort and rest today also, dear friend, as the Lord is your safe and secure resting place. xo