Category Archives: faith

When foundations shake

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David’s world was shaking, right down to the foundations. As he begins PSALM 11 he first states his firm hope in God, but goes on to vividly describe the calamity breaking upon him…

[1] In the LORD I take refuge; how can you say to my soul, “Flee like a bird to your mountain, [2] for behold, the wicked bend the bow; they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart; [3] if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
(Psalm 11:1-3 ESV)

Then in verse 4 David turns his thoughts (and ours) to the ROCK, the true foundation and pillar of the universe…

[4] The LORD is in his holy temple;
the LORD’s throne is in heaven….

Meditating upon this, William Plumer writes this exhortation: “There is always ground of hope to one who trusts in God. All is not lost, that is brought into jeopardy. While God lives and reigns, there is hope for a good cause and for a good man. We may boldly challenge all who would drive us to despair.”

Amen!
pdb

“Peace in believing”

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“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing…”
(Romans 15:13a, ESV)

Peace is readily available to those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. A fantastic analogy is given in an eloquent sermon by the great Thomas Chalmers —

Should a powerful and offended neighbor, under the threats of whose resentment I had I had been living for months in fearful insecurity; should he send to my door an offer of reconciliation, it is not difficult to understand how, at the moment of my reliance upon the truth and honesty of this offer, I would be at rest. Nor would it at all disturb the peacefulness of my heart, that I were given to know that the proposed friendship was only yet mine in offer, and not mine in possssion, till I had perform certain conditions which I knew to be easily practicable. It would not, for example, abate the joy of the announcement, that I was told of an intended call on the part of my relenting adversary, and that I must give him a courteous reception, and stretch out my hand as the token of my having accepted his overture; and that then what was now mine in offer, would be come mine in possession also.

If I consented to all this, and felt not merely the possibility, but the perfect ease of it, I would not postpone my gladness till the hour of the expected visit. On my faith in the reality and integrity of the offer, I would consider my before formidable enemy to be now my placid and my attached friend. An instantaneous peace would arise in my bosom nor would I wait the coming formalities of reconciliation ere I threw aside the burden of my disquietude.

Thomas Chalmers, “Peace in Believing”
in Precious Seed: Discourses by Scottish Worthies

Read this again, slowly, and find profit for your own faith, and in believing find much joy!

pdb