Let Your Heart Take Courage
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Psalm 31:1-5, 21-24
1. In thee, O Lord, do I seek refuge; let me never be put to shame; in thy righteousness deliver me! 2. Incline thy ear to me, rescue me speedily! Be thou a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me! 3. Yea, thou art my rock and my fortress; for thy name's sake lead me and guide me, 4. take me out of the net which is hidden for me, for thou art my refuge. 5. Into thy hand I commit my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.
21. Blessed be the Lord, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was beset as in a besieged city. 22. I had said in my alarm, "I am driven far from thy sight." But thou didst hear my supplications, when I cried to thee for help. 23. Love the Lord, all you his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful, but abundantly requites him who acts haughtily. 24. Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!
I’ve listened to the news accounts of personal tragedies over the past week or so--the shark attack victims, the 3 boys who suffocated in the trunk of the family car, locally, children shot, and some witnessing their own family members dying. And of course the story of Natalee Holloway is on the 24 hour news cycle -- and is just so very sad. My heart breaks for her family and for all of those whose hearts have been broken. Upon hearing stories like these, one might feel overwhelmed and helpless. There really is no way to comfort these families, or to change the outcome of any of these situations.
One might stop to ponder why such horrific things happen. How can people be so evil? How can God allow children to die senselessly? Why do these happen for no apparent reason or purpose? These questions are older than the Psalms -- they are as old Adam and Eve! And we won’t really know the answers until we get to heaven. I am certain in their anguish, those who knew and loved the victims cry out to God, “I am driven far from thy sight.” How do we even begin to make sense out of it all? How do we go on? How do they?
I am, without question, abundantly blessed! I can’t begin to tell you how any of these people feel! Because I have not experienced anything so traumatic in my life! I am blessed! Do I feel guilty about that? No. I just feel grateful. I feel . . . well . . . blessed! Anyone who knows me, realizes that verse 24 is one of my hallmarks. I live by it. It is encouragement for myself, and for others. The translation I first came upon says to “be of good courage, all you who trust in the Lord.” That is the blessing I send out to all the families, to all the victims, to anyone who is struggling to understand, trying to figure out how they will go on.
Our faith cannot change the past or the present. It can, though, fortify us to face the future. God will sustain us when we feel we have no other recourse. We must go on living, God is the answer to “How?” We won’t understand the tragedies of this world until we get to heaven. But I do know that many parents had conversations with their daughters about how to stay safe in the last month. And activists are again raising a voice to make cars safer, and citizens are rising up against gun violence and politicians and government officials are being forced to study the root cause of so many of these tragedies and are being spurred to action.
Nothing I can say will alleviate the pain and grief of those enduring loss and suffering. But my prayers are lifted high for them. And through our prayers, and through God’s healing love and mercy, those tragedies can be turned into a vehicle for a greater good. I hope that someday that is a comfort to all who are suffering.
I hope today, no matter what happens in your life, you will be of good courage. And that you will trust in the Lord to get you through it.
Mary
