The Father’s watchful care ∙

The Father’s watchful care ∙

He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. – Psalms 91:15

 Psalms 91:1-6

 1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

 2 This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.

 3 For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.

 4 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

 5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day.

 6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.

Abandonment is a subjective emotional state in which people feel undesired, left behind, insecure, forsaken, or discarded. People experiencing emotional abandonment often feel a great sense of loss. A crucial source of support has been cut off or withdrawn. Abandonment conveys a subliminal message for the one who experiences it, “you are not valuable,” “you are not important,” or “you are not worth my time and energy.” If left unchecked, a downward spiral of rejection can ensue, leading to tremendous self-doubt and ultimately shame.

Intermittent periods of time when we feel left out, or unsupported are regrettably a part of living in a fallen world. But heartache, loss, and profound sadness can become overwhelming when it becomes chronic and repeated. People become numb, calloused, and even self-destructive. This is often accompanied by a sense of dread or fear that those we rely upon most will not be there when we need them.

Psalms 33:18 The LORD takes notice of those who rely upon him, those who wait for him to demonstrate his faithfulness

The Father watches over His children. We are safe and secure when we rely upon His unfailing lovingkindness. While He is invisible to our physical eyes, His “eye is always on us.” He is always there. He is concerned and involved. The Father lovingly watches over His children. Rather than losing self-worth because of our estrangement from people, we can enhance our sense of self-esteem knowing that our very BFF created all children of the King with tremendous worth and value. His eyes and His heart are with us.

The Lord Jesus Christ has been there. He has experienced far greater rejection and abuse the most of us could ever imagine. Therefore, it is competent and able to come alongside us when we suffer separation from those closest.

Isaiah 53:3 He was despised, rejected, forsaken, a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.

Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin.

REFLECT & PRAY

The Father is always near. In prayer, we connect our need to God’s supply. We bring our emptiness to God’s fullness and ask Him to satisfy us. Our deficits are no match for His abundance, and our cries find a home in His ears (Stanley).

Lord, thank You for the confidence and certainty You provide because we are constantly under Your watchful care.

INSIGHT

The Father protects and delivers His children in life’s darkest valleys. . The psalmist’s description of the Father’s protection is couched in metaphorical language: “shelter,” “shadow,” and “refuge and . . . fortress.” The first two words suggest the imagery of a bird under whose wings its younglings find safety (Psalms 91:4; 17:8; 36:7; 57:1; 63:7). The other two words suggest a stronghold or military installation (Psalms 18:2; 61:3) (VanGemeren).

In Psalms 91, The Father is pictured as delivering, safeguarding, and encouraging His children. The ultimate security of each of the Father’s children is found in Him and Him alone. The names He is called in  Psalms 91 illustrate His ability to do this. He is The Most High – Elyon (Sovereign Ruler); He is The Almighty – Saddai (All powerful).

Children of the King may confidently put their trust in Him as their refuge, fortress, and safe place. Our King is powerful, dependable, kind, sympathetic, and trustworthy.

In the New Testament, the enemy, who knows Scripture as well as anyone, tempts the Lord Jesus Christ by twisting and misquoting Psalms 91. The enemy entices the Lord Jesus Christ to put the Father’s promise of protection to an ill-timed and ill-advised test. He dares the Lord Jesus Christ to jump off the top of the temple and prove that angels will protect him (Matthew 4:6).

Psalms 91:11,12

 11 For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.  

 12 They will bear you up in their hands, that you do not strike your foot against a stone.

The Lord Jesus Christ was terse and direct. He confronted the enemy by quoting Scripture back to him. He effectively resisted the temptation.

Matthew 4:7 Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the LORD your God.’”

Undaunted, the enemy does not miss a beat and simply moves on to the next temptation. And so it is with us; the enemy’s enticements to do wrong are relentless.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 6-19-2

© Dr. H 2022