"The Lord will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life, the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." (Psalm 121:7-8 NIV).
How do you feel when you read these words?...for me they provide me with strength, comfort, peace, reassurance...confidence to face each day by putting my trust in my Lord.
These verses from Psalm 121 appeared in my verse for the day, yesterday, from Bible Gateway - at a time when I have been harmed and in need of healing and recovery which will take a long time. Words which at this very moment test me, for I am injured, in some pain, bruised, recovering from an operation, feeling anger, frustration, helplessness, tearful, vulnerable, restricted and tired...
Am I right to question these verses, could the Lord have prevented me from being knocked off my bicycle in a road traffic accident last week.? Is it easy to become disillusioned, to say...where were you God? What do these verses from Psalm 121 mean for you and me today?
There are various translations of these short verses. The one I quote says "The Lord will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life", but other versions use words such as "The Lord will keep (or preserve) you from all evil" or "The Lord will keep (or preserve) your life (soul)."
I guess on reflection, I should recognise that yes, whilst I have been harmed and I am definitely injured, I have the bruises, cuts and a scar to prove it...the pain and bruises are but temporary, as a result of a once in a moment incident - I will recover, and while I need to take antibiotics and painkillers for my obvious pain now, that pain will subside, my faith is still strong and intact and my soul is at peace and preserved.
In Romans 8:28 (NIV) I am reminded that "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose". There is also a passage in Jeremiah that shows us that God knows the plans he has for us - "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Perhaps as I take the opportunity now to reflect, rest, rebuild, it is an opportunity to use this time to just "be", to listen to God...perhaps he was telling me to stop, and had given me prior warnings that I had ignored.. to take time out, to allow God to rebuild and reshape my life to be the person that God wants me to be. If being knocked off my bicycle was the only way God could get through to me, then so be it...it has given me the opportunity to come across "Good Samaritan's", who came to my aid on the side of the road, the care and compassion of surgeons, consultants, doctors, nurses and care workers, those family, friends and colleagues, who have offered their love, prayers and support.....
Maybe, this is my opportunity....to look at my life and sing the words of a song we often sing at church by Scott Wesley Brown..."More like you Jesus, more like you, fill my heart with your desire, and make me more like you"...
© Stephen Allen June 2023
I think this is really testing, theologically. People have different views, but I think we might be in danger of doing some psychological damage to ourselves if we feel we have to see everything that happens to us as part of God's plan. I think there's a huge difference between believing in a God who would engineer a bicycle accident in order to achieve some end - and believing in a God who, a bicycle accident having happened, can work through the Spirit, and with our willingness, in order to bring about spiritual growth and resurrection fruit. Prayers for your continued healing