Little children can be scared of many things. I remember when my daughter, Karis, was very young and she was scared of men. She still can be nervous to this day. Some things that scare children are legitimate. Other things do not make any sense. But when our children are scared, we parents try to comfort them. We may pick them up in our arms or we may say to them, “Hold my hand. It’s going to be ok” It’s amazing what a hand-hold can do. The child finds comfort in knowing their parent is “connected” to them. Even though there are fears, their parent is near and protecting them. This is the idea the psalmist brings out in the Fighter Verses for this week: “Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore.” There are people in Jerusalem who are faithful, and there are those who are unfaithful. Those who are unfaithful may seem to overpower and control Zion for a time. In the midst of this, the faithful can wonder where God is and if they’re protected. They could wonder if their enemies are going to win. But then comes God’s promise: he protects his own. And his protection is greater than a hand-hold. His protection is grand in strength and duration. This protection is like a series of mountains that act like a fortress. That is
This is the idea the psalmist brings out in the Fighter Verses for this week:
Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore. (Psalm 125:1-2)
There were people in Jerusalem who were faithful, and there were those who were unfaithful. Those who were unfaithful seemed to overpower and control Zion for a time, and the faithful wondered where God was and if they were truly protected. They probably wondered if their enemies were going to win. In the midst of this, God gives a promise: he protects his own. But notice how he communicates his protection. It is greater than a hand-hold. His protection is grand in both strength and duration. This protection is like a series of mountains that act like a fortress. That is strength! His protection also lasts forevermore. That is a long duration! No earthly parents can come close to the type of protection God grants to his own.
This same type of protection comes to us as Christians, too. In the book of Hebrews, we’re told that we have been brought to Mount Zion through Jesus’ perfect faithfulness and sacrifice for us. Because of Jesus, we are counted faithful and we now have the promise that he will never leave us nor forsake us. We also have the promise that God will protect and care for his own. Because of Jesus, we have a loving, all-powerful Heavenly Father. Let these thoughts fill your mind and cause you to rejoice. Even when it seems like evil prevails, God is faithful. He is protecting his own, and he is coming again to reveal his eternal glory!