Considering the title of this devotional, some of you might be continuing the song that contain these words and you are singing ‘bad boys, bad boys’!! That’s kind’a what I thought of as I meditated on this Psalm and was reminded that David had some really mean (bad) men of Saul who were chasing him, and out to get him. But can you hear the calm in David’s mind as he added words like this: ‘but mere man cannot harm me, for I am a child of the all-powerful, almighty, most High God’! That’s the reminder we should keep stowed away in our minds when we fear the enemy is after us – we serve a God much mightier than our enemies! Meditate with me as we pursue this thought.

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-04-01
WRITTEN AT: Astatula, FL

BY: Ed Algreen

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 56:3-4; 9-11;
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: 3 When I am afraid, O Lord Almighty, I put my trust in you.  4 I trust in God and am not afraid; I praise him for what he has promised. What can a mere human being do to me?  9 The day I call to you, my enemies will be turned back. I know this: God is on my side— 10     the Lord, whose promises I praise. 11 In him I trust, and I will not be afraid. What can a mere human being do to me?

APPLICATION: Certain movies will cause us to think that there is someone lurking at every window, or around every corner to jump out on us and steal our joy. So I believe that many of us can identify with how David may have felt when Saul sent the best of his detectives and guards in search of him, to kill him. However, an awesome lesson reveals itself in David’s reaction: he was on such a solid footing with his Lord and Savior, that he merely looked at his trials here on earth as being minute and very insignificant. ‘Who is man that I should be mindful of what he could do to me, when I am a child of the King, and cared for by His army of angels that will protect me?’ I believe that was the jest of what David said. Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could have the faith to respond in like form to that of David? Often we are consumed with how we might seek revenge on a person, or group, who seems out to ‘get us’. ‘Revenge is mine’ says the Lord, and I am convinced that He don’t need our help! Doesn’t this all come together to help us better understand other scripture so well, such as ‘turn the other cheek’? But friends, let us not just look at this as an awesome illustration, although it is. We still face many challenges that sometimes make us wonder why would the world hate us so much as to tell lies on us; seek revenge on us, even though our belief system is just opposite to what they seem to believe or are trying to achieve? Steal from us, even though we worked diligently for years to build up our farms or our business? Shut us down, even though we earned our income honestly and was able to save a few dollars because of many sacrifices? Let us always remember dear ones that what God has given to us, no one can take away. As David said it ‘what on earth can mere man do to us?’. Let’s remember the words of Paul in the New Testament – for me to live is Christ, (meaning that he would continue to spread the good news of Jesus Christ) but to die is gain (meaning that should Jesus call him home to glory, what an amazing joy that will be for he would be in the presence of his Savior and the Father Himself. My friends, that’s what the Christian considers ‘gain’! Some may say I don’t just get even with my enemies, I get ahead. I want to say like David intimated: I have nothing to fear knowing that God is on my side – the challenges of mere man is nothing to worry about!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: I trust in God and I am not afraid!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for saving my soul and for making me whole through Your precious blood that You shed on Calvary. Because I am Yours and You are mine, I have nothing to fear because of any threat by mere man. Please continue to open my heart and mind to Your truths and assurances, for I always want to sing ‘On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand’! Praise God You are my Rock! So there is nothing to fear from mere man! May others be encouraged to also seek an intimate relationship with You because of the proof they may have seen in me. AMEN!