Psalm 27:1, 4-9, Matthew 4:12-23, and 1 Corinthians 1:10-18
I feel more refreshed by the colder weather this year than last year. The temperature feels like minus 30 degrees Celsius, and it seems like there’s been quite a bit of snow this winter. I was very grateful to be inside my home and church building when the windstorm blew. Meanwhile, I also had homeless people come to the church during the day and connect with social workers from the Safe Harbour Society. I am grateful that several church committees are working to help them.
King David in Psalm 27 sings: “The Lord is my light and my salvation. I praise you, the strength of my life. I have faced many hardships throughout my life. But God has rescued me from my enemies. He has finally raised my position and honor above them. Therefore, I praise God. I will joyfully offer sacrifices in his holy place and sing praises to the Lord.”
David repeatedly refers to the house of the Lord, his dwelling, and the shelter of his sacred tent in verses 4-6. What is the holy tabernacle? It is where God dwells. It is a place where God’s people meet God. We can experience God’s presence with us. It is a place where the very fact of being there is a blessing. Based on the original text of the Bible, scholars believe that the tent David spoke of was the Holy of Holies, where God was worshipped. This is where the priests of the Old Testament era worshipped God. It is the most secret and sacred place in God’s tabernacle. Only the high priest could enter once a year, on the Day of Atonement. So, this is the safest place if God allows it. At the same time, it is a place where you can put aside worldly worries and concerns and focus entirely on God. In this sanctuary, God provides David with grace and power. God communes with him and gives him the strength to stand again.
In what places do you feel God’s presence? When do you enjoy God’s peace? Personally, I am happy when I sit alone in the church sanctuary and pray. Actually, when I look at photos of the church members and pray to God, I ask for their protection and blessings, and I feel God’s protection as I sit quietly.
There is no fear or dread for those who are sure that God is with them. God speaks to Joshua, who will lead the Israelites in the war to conquer Canaan. “5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.” (Joshua 1:5,6) After this, Joshua’s attitude changed greatly. We find no fear or dread in him whatsoever. Who is Jehovah? He is the one who created heaven and earth with words. The Creator is the Almighty, whose powers are limitless. If such a God is with us, what is there to fear? The prophet Elisha was not at all afraid when the Aramean army surrounded the city of Dothan, where he was, to capture him. Because he knew that God’s army was protecting him (2 Kings 6:16).
Dear friends, God is with us today. God made a promise to the saints. “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”(Hebrews 13:5) In fact, the Holy Spirit dwells within us from the moment we receive Christ. So, what have we to fear? No matter how urgent the crisis, we have absolutely no reason to fear. If we truly trust in God, we should have no fear. Paul says, “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) Yes, what we should fear is not visible enemies or crises, but the absence of God from our side. Therefore, beloved, trust that God is with you and dwell in his sacred tent. The prophet Isaiah says: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”(Isaiah 41:10)
Next, I hope you will stay with Jesus in the house of the Lord. As Jesus began his public ministry, he called his first disciples. He urged people to repent and preached the gospel of the kingdom of heaven. He met Peter and Andrew by the Sea of Galilee and said to them, “Come, follow me.” He met James and his brother John and made them his disciples. He went around the synagogues of Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease. May this ministry of Jesus bless you and heal your weaknesses and illnesses.
When Jesus preached the gospel, the history of soul salvation took place. Their desperate lives took a 180-degree turn, giving them hope. Jesus performed miracles that made the impossible possible. He opened the eyes of those who did not even have a proper home to dream of the kingdom of God. There are diseases that are not easily cured. I pray that God will proclaim healing to your hearts, souls, and bodies. So, I hope that you can break down not only personal problems but also many barriers that arise in relationships.
As we all know, we cannot be with Jesus as the disciples were. But we have something that the disciples did not have. That is the Bible. We can encounter Jesus, the Word made flesh, who came in human form, through the printed media called the Bible. It’s a simple and easy method. And it is also the safest and most reliable method. Through the Bible, we can live according to God’s will and plan. Therefore, beloved, I hope you will dwell with the Word. I pray that you may fully enjoy the peace that God gives you in it. Amen.