While working as an editor at a local newspaper the managing editor, the big boss, was named Ozzie. His name was often used as the authority for getting things done. If someone questioned why something was to be done or done in a particular way, the response was frequently, “Because Ozzie said so.”
It can be quite helpful to have a person of authority and power on your side. The author of Psalm 91 talks about all the good that can come about from honoring God. What positive things will happen (verses 10-13)? What does God promise in verses 14-16? Why will these good things come about (see verse 9 and 14)?
We are certainly faced with the many temptations that come with life. We are tempted to be certain that we are in a good place in life – in our finances, in our homes, in our relationships. It is a temptation to take care of “Number One” – ourselves.
But we will be blessed by God if we can overcome the temptations we face every day and instead honor God. The psalmist reminds us that if we make God our dwelling and our refuge – that is, if we submit ourselves completely to God and focus our energies on serving Him – then we will receive good things from God.
The Lord will protect us from harm. God’s angels will watch over us, guard us, and even be with us when we face some of the most dangerous and terrifying things in life. This is not an encouragement to go out and do daring and foolish things that will put you in dangerous situations, but it is a reminder that we will have the strength of God with us in all the difficulties and challenges in life.
God offers promises to protect and bless us in our lives if we are able to submit to Him and love Him as He deserves. “Because he loves me,” God says in verse 14. If we truly love and honor God in our living, if we resist the temptation to focus on ourselves and instead live a life of holy sacrifice, God promises to protect us from harm. He promises the salvation we so deeply desire.
Like Jesus we must resist the temptations to satisfy our own desires. We must replace that impulse to care for ourselves and replace it with an attitude of sacrificial giving – giving our time, our money, our efforts, and our devotion. When we can resist temptation and be sacrificial toward God in our life we will be blessed with God’s presence and power and be delivered from the harm and troubles that come when we give in to temptation.
DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you make God your dwelling?
