The LORD Lives

"The LORD lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let God be exalted, the Rock of my salvation!"

2 Samuel 22:47

Only the living God who created all things can save.  The One in whom is life was able to create life from nothing, and He alone can save our souls for eternity.  God can do everything because He is alive.  He is infinitely greater than man, but in living men we see a shadow of God's greatness.  The God who created the eyes of men to see sees all; the One who made ears to hear also hears all.  This God who formed man's mind to consider and think possesses infinite wisdom and knows all.  He created the mouth of man to speak intelligible words can speak clearly to all people.  Whatever a man can do God does infinitely greater.

No spirit, man, thing made by man, or beast can be likened unto God or rightly compared with Him.  He alone is God and is exalted forever without end.  How can an idol of wood, stone, silver, or gold compare with the living God?  God lives, and this is a primary distinction between Him and all others.  He does not only live today but He has always lived in eternity past.  He was not imagined or created but existed before time and the creation of the earth.  God also will always live, for He is not subject to time nor will He ever be.  For an eternity after this world is dissolved and time as we know it is not remembered by a soul, He will live and remain the Rock of my salvation.

God is exalted whether men think to praise Him or not.  If there is anything in this world which fills us with awe and wonder, that is the worship God deserves for He is greater still.  Though He is greater and over all things, God has revealed Himself to lowly man.  When God descended and communed with Moses on the mount Exodus 34:6-8 says, "And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, ⁷ keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation." ⁸ So Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped."  People and generations pass away, but God remains.

How good it is to serve a living God who speaks with us, who has come to us in Jesus Christ, and is risen from the dead.  Therefore let us bless and exalt our Rock of Salvation, the LORD who lives!

Reasoning Together

"Come now, and let us reason together," says the LORD, "though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

Isaiah 1:18

There is a great example in the Bible of people reasoning together during the siege of Abel.  After David was restored to the throne in Jerusalem, a rebel named Sheba the son of Bichri blew a trumpet and gathered men after himself.  Joab received word that Sheba had taken shelter in Abel of Bethmaachah, and therefore he built a siege mound and battered the wall to bring it down.  2 Samuel 20:16-19 records, "Then a wise woman cried out from the city, "Hear, Hear! Please say to Joab, 'Come nearby, that I may speak with you.' " ¹⁷ When he had come near to her, the woman said, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Hear the words of your maidservant." And he answered, "I am listening." ¹⁸ So she spoke, saying, "They used to talk in former times, saying, 'They shall surely seek guidance at Abel,' and so they would end disputes.¹⁹  I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?"  Some people were prepared to hunker down behind their walls without negotiation, but not this wise woman.

2 Samuel 20:20-22 says, "And Joab answered and said, "Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy! ²¹ That is not so. But a man from the mountains of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has raised his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city." So the woman said to Joab, "Watch, his head will be thrown to you over the wall." ²² Then the woman in her wisdom went to all the people. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. Then he blew a trumpet, and they withdrew from the city, every man to his tent. So Joab returned to the king at Jerusalem."  Joab informed the woman he held no ill will against her or the city, nor was he intent on destroying Abel.  The problem was a rebellious man had sought shelter within Abel, and if she would agree to deliver him all would be well.  The woman said decisively, "His head will be thrown to you over the wall."  She consulted with the people in the city and they agreed:  why risk the safety of their families, children, home and future to shelter a wicked man?  Once his head was thrown over the wall and identified, Joab called off the siege and returned to Jerusalem.

The situation in Abel is one which commonly plays out in the lives of God's people.  At times our hearts, minds, and deeds are rebellious before the LORD and we bring ourselves under His judgment.  We do not reason with Him as equals but as His subjects - like the wise woman with the general of the army of Israel who acted on king David's command.  The woman and the people of the city were free to harbour the king's enemy, but if they chose this course they would be forced to deal with the consequences.  Only after the head of Sheba was thrown over the wall was the siege lifted and the city safe from harm.  Assurances of Sheba's innocence or claims the king's demand was unreasonable were not enough to call off the attack of the city, and refusal to heed God's commands leads to discipline and strong judgment.  If the people of the city saw the sense in surrendering the head of Sheba to save themselves, city, and families, why don't we always see the sense in surrendering our sin or weights which easily encumber us?  Should we defend what God has condemned?

Consider the practical implications for a city besieged by a strong army.  At first there may only be a negligible effect, but the inhabitants of the city are forced to wait around to die.  When a city is besieged no one is permitted to enter or leave so trade and communication ceases.  Before long those under siege suffer shortages of food and water, their homes, gates, and walls take damage from barrages, and the mental strain of having the enemy at the gates quickly begins to take a physical and mental toll.  Would you say this city under siege well represents a soul labouring under sins not repented of?  Praise the LORD God has drawn near to us with conditions of peace through the Gospel:  if we will confess our sins and repent, He is faithful to forgive us.  But understand that if we will not surrender Sheba or whatever is demanded by our King we will have no peace.  Those are His conditions, and they are altogether reasonable.  What a joy to have the siege lifted and once again have freedom, good food, clean water, communication, and security restored!

Blessed In All Things

"Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things."

Genesis 24:1

When I read this verse last night, a slow smile spread across my face.  Think of it!  The LORD had blessed Abraham in all things:  he had been blessed in his travels, in his marriage, with his children, in necessities, in growing older, and even concerning his temporal and eternal future.  There was no part of his life which had not been blessed by God.  This means he was blessed by God even before he knew God or believed Him!  How great is our God to bless in such a manner.  But having said this, often our ability to receive and walk fully in the blessings God provides is conditional.  

Do you want to be blessed by God?  Blessed is the man who delights in God's Law and shuns evil (Psalm 1).  The one who has clean hands a pure heart by grace through faith in God is blessed (Psalm 24:3-6).  Jesus listed many conditional blessings in Matthew 5:3-12:  "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. ⁵ Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. ⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. ⁷ Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. ⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. ⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. ¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹ "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. ¹² Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

This list provided by Jesus reveals our natural concept of "blessings" and God's descriptions are often fundamentally different from one another.  We think we are "blessed" with good health, and so we are.  But God is able to bless us in poor health, even as God blessed Abraham in all things.  We think of being blessed when we have a near-miss which could have been disastrous, but God blesses us in disasters.  When the world is falling apart and we are splitting at the seams, through faith in God we are blessed in all things.  Praise the LORD His blessing is not dependent on circumstances or our perfect performance, but is according to His grace, goodness, and unfailing promises.  Can you identify with these words spoken of Abraham, that the LORD has blessed you in all things?  May He open our eyes to say with all our hearts, "Yes, indeed He has!"

Standing Firm

Yesterday the results of the Australian same-sex marriage survey were revealed.  The LGBTI community and their supporters celebrated a strong majority result.  Though the laws have not yet been changed to reflect this result, the government and members of parliament are working to pass legislation changing the Australian constitution to approve gay marriage.  In the context of our secular society this result does not at all come as a surprise to me.  I am without fear; I am not worried for in Christ I stand firm.  I am resigned to acknowledge the opinion of the majority of Australians, but that does not deem it righteous.

And this is the place where the victory for same-sex marriage rings hollow:  even when the government legalises and acknowledges gay couples as married, the perversion of God's institution of marriage will never be acceptable in the eyes of God and many who hold a biblical worldview.  My heart breaks to consider the smiles and celebrations will quickly fade into disillusionment, frustration, and anger this result will not provide the kind of acceptance and "equality" many long for.  I am convinced the definition of marriage established by God cannot be altered by the legislation of men.  God's Word cannot be broken, and in Him I place my trust.  His approval is everything.  I love people who identify as gay and understand their desire to marry even as heterosexuals do, but my loyal adherence to the scriptures will likely be viewed as hate and bigotry.  Such is life for born again Christians.

People in the world will do what is right in their own eyes, but followers of Christ are exhorted to hold fast to God's righteous standards as revealed in scripture.  The Bible which clearly illuminates the way of salvation through the Gospel also says all will be judged by God according to their works.  All professing Christians ought to take heed to God's warning, for He has pronounced great woe upon His people who forsook His ways and approved of wickedness as it is written in Isaiah 5:20-21:  "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! ²¹ Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!"  Many believers have been duped to think they can follow Jesus and celebrate abomination, but this is impossible.  The New Testament passage Romans 1:32 plainly states those who approve and consent to any manner of depravity endanger their own lives and souls.

When we chose to follow Jesus, remaining loyal and obedient to His Word is what we signed up for.  Whilst the world celebrates and rejoices Australia is now "on the right side of history" concerning the approval of gay marriage, I rejoice to hold fast to the truth of God's Word without apology.  I make no claim of perfection or being "holier than thou," but by God's grace He will enable me and all God's children to stand firm in the faith.  These are troubling times, but we have all the security, joy, and hope we need in Jesus.  We ought to rejoice and lift our heads because the day of our salvation draws nigh.  All is exactly as our Saviour foretold in His Word, and He will never leave or forsake us.  He gives peace not as the world gives, an enduring peace which passes understanding.

Narrow Truth and Broader Views

As we follow Jesus Christ and mature in faith and knowledge of His Word, He broadens our understanding.  Studying the scriptures led by the Holy Spirit enables us to connect ideas which provide greater insight into God's truth.  When I was a child after I knew how to count I enjoyed dot-to-dot puzzles.  What began as a mess of dots and numbers became a recognisable object which could be coloured in with crayon.  In a similar way, the more we heed the scriptures the better we comprehend what the Bible says, what it means, and how to rightly apply it in our lives.

Looking back, I believe my views of scripture used to be more rigid than they are now.  My views were rigid because my understanding was limited.  Truth and the Christian walk is narrow, and we cannot deviate from obedience to God and His Word.  We do not need to compromise truth to hold a broader view than we once did.  I have held views in the past which were not wrong in themselves, but I was wrong because I restricted the truth to my current personal view.  We all run the risk of parroting what we have heard from a pastor without critical thought or searching the scriptures ourselves.  We can allow a verse or pet-doctrine to direct us down a familiar track of thought like a dog running a well-worn circuit in the backyard when the gate is open and a world of discovery awaits.

There are people I highly respect, people I am convinced are anointed by the Holy Spirit and called to teach, yet based on my understanding of scripture I am not in full agreement with their Bible interpretation on particular points.  For instance, I recently heard a Bible teacher say leaven always represents sin in the parables of Jesus.  Since the Bible does not explicitly say this, it seems to be a narrow view which disregards the context of each parable.  I agree it is true leaven is commonly used to represent sin, I believe it is a mistake to say it always represents or is a "type" of sin (see Matt. 13:33).  It is commonly taught all birds in the parables represent evil or satanic influence, and whilst this is the given interpretation in one Parable of the Sower it is dangerous to attribute "type" status to birds without considering the context.  These assumptions cause us to read into the text rather than observing the context and interpreting correctly.  Wrong interpretation leads to incorrect application.  Parables are not the only tricky part of scripture to rightly interpret and apply.  Poetry, prophecy, and many hard sayings of the Bible make studying it a most rigorous and challenging exercise.  Without God's help, we could never understand or unravel it.

Praise the LORD for His wisdom and patience with me and all children of God.  My understanding has been expanded from the days of my youth, and undoubtedly there are many areas where I remain in the dark.  We too should be patient with others whose views seem unnecessarily rigid because we too are naturally like them.  A teacher of scripture who will not be taught by God or men is of no value, so let us remain humble and open.  Though there will be differences of opinion on secondary doctrines among genuine believers, let us be gracious - not threatened or suspicious.  Let us respond as Apollo when loving believers pulled him aside and explained the Gospel to Him more perfectly.  He received their correction with joy and boldly spoke the truth in love.  Sometimes we are the ones to come alongside in a spirit of gentleness to instruct and correct.  Love does not compromise truth, but it is willing to speak the truth for the restoration of others.

A Godly Perspective

It is a strange thing when a Christian goes from trusting God for salvation and begins to look to his own strength or abilities in daily decisions.  David provides a compelling example of this in 1 Samuel 17.  God's assessment of David was he was a man after God's own heart, but even he was prone to lean on his own understanding.  His life provides a compelling illustration of what is common to all men - even godly ones.  Just because we have trusted God in the past doesn't mean we are trusting Him today.

When David was a young man he was sent by his dad on an errand to the front lines of battle where a few of his brothers were.  He was shocked when Goliath the champion of Gath stood before the army of Israel and defied and cursed them by his gods.  David wasn't awed by the imposing size or the verbal threats of the giant, but was incredulous Goliath was permitted to reproach the armies of the living God whilst the men of Israel hid in fear.  News of David’s willingness to fight Goliath reached King Saul’s ears and he summoned David.  Saul said, “You can’t fight him.  You’re just a youth and he’s been a warrior from youth.”  David pointed out God had delivered him from the paw of the lion and the bear and God would help him defeat the Philistine also.

Saul finally agreed to allow David to face Goliath, but wanted to outfit him with armour and his own sword.  Being unaccustomed to the encumbrance of armour and unskilled with a sword, David politely declined using them.  He was content to trust God and fight Goliath with a sling and a handful of smooth stones which he gathered from a brook on the way to face Goliath in a battle to the death.  He came before the scoffing Philistine warrior in the name of the God of Israel, and God wrought a great victory.

Years later and then son-in-law to the king, David found himself only a step between him and death because King Saul sought to murder him.  As he fled for his life, 1 Samuel 21 details an incident when he dropped by the Tabernacle in Nob.  He and his men were hungry and desperate for food and supplies.  The chief priest Ahimelech was cautious but willing to help David, and provided him bread from the Table of Showbread for he and his men.  Read what 1 Samuel 21:8-9 says:  "And David said to Ahimelech, "Is there not here on hand a spear or a sword? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste." ⁹ So the priest said, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, there it is, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it. For there is no other except that one here." And David said, "There is none like it; give it to me."

Isn’t this ironic?  David trusted God to deliver him from lions and Goliath, but having fought many battles since the victory over Goliath it appears he had grown accustomed to using a spear, sword, and other weapons.  Notice he said, "I have brother neither my sword nor my weapons with me."  Do you find it odd David demanded the sword which was not able to save Goliath?  What had changed?  Was King Saul a more terrifying foe than Goliath?  God had not changed, but in that stressful moment David's perspective had.  It seems it was easier to trust God when facing Philistines than when the attacks came from his own king and kin.

My point is not to second guess David’s choices, but to contrast how he faced conflict in these two instances.  Facing a Philistine in his youth David was fine to trust God, but having become a skilled warrior when threatened David felt he needed a sword.  In the end it turned out he didn’t need the sword because God delivered David.  God was patient and faithful to David, and He is also patient and faithful to us when we forget to trust Him.  Believer, have you started trusting yourself more than God?  Success and popularity can cause us to look to ourselves instead of seeking and simply trusting the LORD.  We trusted God to help, protect, provide, and guide us at the start of our walk with Jesus, and we need to keep trusting Him today.

Commitment or Surrender?

In a sermon I recently heard, the difference between "commitment" and "surrender" was a point of emphasis.  In warfare conditions of surrender are negotiated, but not so in a life which is surrendered to Jesus Christ as LORD.  Since our lives have been purchased with the shed blood of Christ, we are not our own.  As Jesus laid down His will before the Father, we are to voluntarily lay our lives down before our Saviour.  The comment by the preacher was if all we do is "commit" our lives to Christ, we seek to dictate our own terms or will even withdraw our commitment when it pleases us.

In light of this thought, the Oxford definition of "commitment" is interesting.  It means, "The state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc.; a pledge or undertaking; an engagement or obligation that restricts freedom of action."  Men are fickle and often do not keep their commitments.  We make promises we do not or cannot keep, and do not like our freedom to do as we choose restricted.  A commitment can become a hindrance from what we want to do rather than being liberating.  It is a burden to be borne rather than a privilege.  In all our commitments we retain our sovereignty over our own will rather than surrendering our lives to the will of God.

Contrast the previous definitions with that of "surrender:"  "stop resisting to an enemy or opponent and submit to their authority; give in to; give up or hand over (a person, right, or possession), typically on compulsion or demand."  Christ makes many demands of His disciples, and on the strength of our commitment we are unable to fulfil any of them.  We might as well claim we can do the work of God in our own strength!  We are called to stop resisting or grieving the Holy Spirit through rebellion and disobedience, repent, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.  If we stop short of full surrender, we attempt to remain in charge of our lives.  If we are Christ's disciples, we must lay down our will so we can embrace and be empowered by God to do His.

Many Christians "recommit" their lives to Jesus many times because they have not fully surrendered to Him.  Surrender is not a one-time decision, but one confirmed daily by obedience to God's Word as we deny ourselves, take up our cross daily (die to self), and follow Jesus.  Praise the LORD this is His will, and when we surrender ourselves to Him He will accomplish it.  Answer this question honestly:  are you totally surrendered to God?  Until then we resemble a child falling asleep on a merry-go-round - movement but no real progression.

Do Not Be Deceived

All human beings are susceptible to all manner of deception.  It is one thing to be intentionally deceived by another person, but far worse is when we are deluded by self.  This sort of deception we often do not recognise.  We are most blind to the deceptions which lurk in our hearts, and since no man can know the depravity of his own heart we are susceptible to it.

In addition to revealing God to us, the Bible is a primary means of warning against and identifying common deceptions for us.  The clear implication of God’s warnings against deceptions is we indeed can be deceived.  It is important for us to examine our hearts, admitting we too can be deceived.  If we do not heed God’s Word we blindly head to ruin.  Because God knows the thoughts and intent of our hearts, loves us and is the source of all wisdom, He faithfully reveals our common faults and the path of righteousness.

Deceptions take place in our minds and hearts.  The way we naturally think appeals to the flesh, and the scripture rightly applied by the Holy Spirit changes the way we think.  So what are common deceptions the Bible says we must be aware of?

We can be deceived to turn aside to idolatry.  Deuteronomy 11:16-17 states, “Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them, [17] lest the LORD'S anger be aroused against you, and He shut up the heavens so that there be no rain, and the land yield no produce, and you perish quickly from the good land which the LORD is giving you.”  I believe it was Calvin who quipped the hearts of men are idol factories, and even a cursory glance at our lives reveals our affections and faith is often misplaced.  We must be watchful and take heed to guard our hearts and minds from idolatry and not assume we are loyal only to God.

We can be deceived to follow false saviours.  Luke 21:8 reads, “And He said: "Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time has drawn near.' Therefore do not go after them.”  The Son of God Jesus Christ is the Messiah, and He is the only one Christians ought to follow.  It is natural for us to follow after men, to look to them for guidance and leading rather than God.  The world offers many false saviours and vain men are glad to draw followers unto themselves.  We can be deceived by liars, thinking their way is right when it is not Christ's way.  Many have turned aside after deceivers, but may we not be among them.

We can be deceived to think the unrighteous will go to heaven.  1 Corinthians 6:9-10 says, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, [10] nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.”  Those who are born again have crucified the lusts of the flesh.  If we are truly transformed within by the power of the Holy Spirit, the evidence of this will be clearly seen.  The Gospel of grace is no excuse to continue in sin, for there is no salvation without repentance.  Those who believe they are saved when their lives are defined by habitual sin are deceived.  We may give a "free pass" for others for their sin, but God will not.  God's judgment concerning sin and how we live matters!

We can be deceived to think we are impervious to evil influence.  1 Corinthians 15:33 reads, “Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits."  Sin is a pollutant which defiles our minds, hearts, and wounds our souls.  It destroys a godly witness and renders us spiritually dull and listless.  We are deceived if we think we can expose ourselves to filth or dabble in disobedience without serious consequences.  There may be men compared to “Teflon” because nothing seems to stick to them, but spiritually we are all dry sponges which unthinkingly absorb whatever liquid that contacts us.  God is able to preserve us from all evil, yet when we intentionally dip our minds and hearts in filth the fountain of Living Water within us is defiled.

We can be deceived to believe sinful choices will not bear evil fruit.  Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”  The type of a seed sown will be clearly evident after it sprouts, grows to maturity, and bears fruit.  If we sow to the flesh we will of the flesh reap corruption.  We can be deceived to think it is what we believe with our minds and profess with our mouths is of primary importance, but God examines the inner man:  our motives, thoughts, and obedience.  He knows if we are proud, arrogant, and rebellious, and a polished image before men does not mean righteousness before God.  We can trick men, but we cannot fool God:  what we sow we will reap.

So how did you go?  When we fall prey to deception we must repent before God, for He is a redeemer and restorer of souls.  And if all seems well it is good for us to admit our tendency to all these deceptions so we might be on guard against them in the future, being watchful concerning ourselves whilst looking out for one another.

The LORD Our Shade

"The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade at your right hand. ⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night."

Psalm 121:5-6

How good it is to know God protects and provides for our needs!  Day or night we need never fear, for God is faithful.  A great illustration of this scripture is seen in the life of Hagar when she was sent out by Abraham.  In response to God's direction, Hagar and Ishmael her son were sent out from Abraham with bread and a skin of water.  They wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba, which means "well of an oath."  Before long they were stricken with thirst, for the water in the skin was used up.  Hagar desperately placed her son in the shade of a shrub to protect him from the searing heat.  Hagar hopelessly retreated to a distance where she could not hear his cries.  She reached the point that all she could do is weep, and in that moment God spoke.

Genesis 21:17-19 reads, "And God heard the voice of the lad. Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, "What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. ¹⁸ Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation." ¹⁹ Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad a drink."  In her distress Hagar moved away from Ishmael, but God drew near and heard the cries of the lad.  Isn't this remarkable?  He will not forsake any who cry out to Him.  The angel of God asked, "What ails you, Hagar?"  I suppose from the perspective of the world there was plenty to cry about:  she had been kicked out of her home, did not know where she was, where she should go, the water had been spent, her son was dying, and she could not save him.  She asserted in a previous wilderness experience God is the One who sees but God also revealed himself as the One who hears and is "your shade at your right hand."  With such a God was there any legitimate cause for despair?

God opened Hagar's eyes to see a well of water she had not seen before.  It is fitting this occurred in Beersheeba, for God showed her a well and gave her a promise:  God would save her son and make of him a great nation.  Until it was divinely revealed Hagar didn't notice the well which held life-sustaining water, and often it is our unbelief, grief, and forgetfulness of God which blinds us to the Living Water offered freely by Jesus Christ.  He supplies more than water to quench the thirst of our bodies but supplies Living Water to satisfy our souls forever.  God has made a covenant through the blood of Jesus Christ which provides us forgiveness and eternal life through the Gospel.  No matter what we face in this life we do not need to fear, for God is our keeper, our shade at our right hand, our refuge, and Saviour who loves us and supplies our every need by His grace.

God was faithful to keep His promise to Ishmael, for God was with him as he grew.  During our earthly pilgrimage there will be wilderness experiences and dry times, but it is good for us to discover God is our only genuine source of help, hope, and life.  We often look for shelter under wilting shrubs when God stands ready to help and deliver, our shade at our right hand.  Much of our pain comes from focusing on ourselves, circumstances beyond our control, and feeling others have it better than us.  Hebrews 13:5-6 provides us an exhortation and promise:  "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." ⁶ So we may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"  Fear and death have been swallowed up with victory, and praise the LORD for His promise.  He is our keeper and shade at our right hand.  The death of our bodies will not annul His promise but bring it to completion in eternal glory.