Don’t Dread… Call On God, Instead!

Word-Of-The-Day: ‘(4) Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on God. (5a) But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to dread. (Psalm 53:4-5a)

David wrote this Psalm about those who do not believe in Christ; I believe those who read this blog do, so it may not pertain.  But the next verse is a description many of us have felt at some point in our lives.  When the unplanned event occurs, what will we do? We’ve all had unplanned events that changed our plans rather dramatically. It can be the water pump, if you have a well, deciding to retire mid-shower, or a car suddenly dying as you get a green light at a busy intersection.

While temporarily feeling a sense of dread over them, the thought crossed my mind of ‘Now what?  Why me? Why now, Lord?’.   Taking a step back, assessing the situation, and acting accordingly (replacing the pump, calling for a tow), the situations ended up not being as bad as they first appeared, and were fortunately correctable in short fashion.  I ask God during such events for forgiveness for being so petty in my displeasure. As my walk with Christ grows longer, I have less of these feelings of dread, and more of the tact of ‘OK, Lord – Let me remain calm and help me take care of the issue.’ The ‘dread’ still rears it’s ugly head on occasion, but fortunately Faith wins out more as time goes on.

These are events that are unforeseen and unpredictable.  Big things happen in our lives that dwarf these examples.  Loved ones get very ill or pass away, the loss of a home, a severe car accident, a job loss; this can be very traumatic and life-changing.  Being believers in Christ, though, David is saying, ‘don’t worry’.  Those who are of the Secular Worldview live on doom and gloom, both real and perceived.  As Christians we are to rely on God; no matter what the situation we need to understand and live with the fact God is in full control. 

Loved ones do get sick, and, as 100% of all people will do eventually (save for Enoch and Elijah), pass away.  Another pandemic like COVID could come again, or another terrorist attack as what happened in New Orleans on New Year’s Day could occur; will you pray to God and rest in the fact He knows how to handle the situation, or will you curl up in the fetal position under the covers and hope it just goes away? 

Do not live in fear or in anticipation of bad things happening, live in the Lord and anticipate His blessings toward His people.  There are many examples in the Bible: Hezekiah; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (aka the ‘Pep Boys’); Daniel; David; Peter; Paul; and Stephen.  Each had something of a traumatic event happening to them. 

For Hezekiah, Daniel and the ‘Pep Boys’, and David, their imminent and likely deaths were not met with fear or dread but with Faith and Conviction that God would provide His hand upon them, and all were delivered from death and protected.   For Peter, Paul, and Stephen, they also knew the Lord would be with them even when they would be executed for their belief in Christ, they would be delivered to God’s eternity regardless of what happened to them physically. 

Having dread or despair is a failure of depending on your Faith; know God is in control, no matter what occurs or how it affects you or your family, as ultimately your fate is always in God’s hands!