PSALM 46:10-11: “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. [11] The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.” KJ

PSALM 48:14: “For this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death.” KJV

OBSERVATION: Life has a way of surprising you. You make plans, begin with expectations, and then life throws you a curveball. Sometimes it is an outright attack of the enemy. Other times it is just the results of chance and living in a fallen world. The Lord does not remove the believer from all of these. Yet He gives us exhortations and words of hope to sustain us in these times.

A few years ago, my wife and I embarked on a mission trip to Thailand. I was asked to be a conference speaker and conduct workshops for missionaries and pastors in the region. This was a great honor. We had never traveled this far away from home. God helped us raise the funds for this trip through dear, faithful friends, and we left with great expectations.

After 30 hours of travel, we arrived at our destination. We settled into our room at the conference center and looked for somewhere to eat. We could not wait for the conference to begin and to explore Thailand. What a privilege it was to serve the Lord in this way!

On the second day, I began to feel sick. I didn’t know if it was something I ate or if I was coming down with something. Things became worse. I could not attend most of the conference sessions and barely made it to do my workshops. I had traveled thousands of miles to build relationships and share God’s Word. What I experienced was being sequestered in my room, too sick to participate.

Was this an attack by the enemy? I prayed and stood my ground. Yet, the mountain did not move. We had planned to stay a few extra days for sightseeing. However, by that time my wife was also sick with the same thing I was struggling with. We spent our ‘extra days’ in a hotel room, eating a light breakfast and, for three days, a simple cheese pizza because our stomachs could not tolerate anything else. (Funny note: When we checked out, the lovely Thai lady at the front desk said, “You must really love pizza!”)

So what could we do? When you have prayed, confessed, been prayed for, and the battle rages on, you are faced with a choice. You can give in to despair, or you can turn to the Lord and listen! This is what we chose to do. This is what the Psalmist calls us to do in times when everything seems upside down.

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.” (Psalm 46:10-11 KJV)

In the upside-down times of life, God is always with us! Jesus has promised that He would never leave nor forsake us. The Psalmist declares, “The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our refuge!” When we began to be still, God’s peace came into our lives. What we expected when we came did not matter. What mattered was what the Lord was teaching us in this time of trial and what we would keep as He led us through.

I thought I was traveling to Thailand to minister to others. Yet, it was the dear people of Thailand who had ministered to my wife and me. There was a loving nurse who visited us each day, gave us medicine, and prayed for us. Then, there were our hosts who helped us in our workshops, which we made, but with evident weakness. We were surrounded by love, prayers, and support.

We experienced God’s mercy and care in a way I will always remember!

We had the joy of distributing free discipleship materials to all who attended our workshops. I poured into the pastors and missionaries with everything I had. I was not able to spend time with them afterward, as I had to go back to my room and rest. I may never know the effects of this trip until I get to heaven, but I will always remember the ministry we received from these dear brothers and sisters in Christ!

God was providing, strengthening, and healing us through their prayers and loving care!

We can take comfort in the assurance that God is with us, strengthening us, providing for us, and leading us in every situation in life. The Psalmist gives us another great promise.

“For this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death.” (Psalm 48:14 KJV)

The Word of God never promises us that we will not walk through the valley. It promises us that God, our God, will guide us through every valley, over every mountain, through every flood, even unto the final breath we breathe when we enter into His presence! This has been the reality in my life, and I know it will be my continued experience until I stand to meet Jesus face to face!

Heavenly Father, this morning, thank You for reminding me of Your faithfulness in ALL the times in my life. I pray right now for someone who is reading this and is going through a very difficult time in their life. Father, be their refuge and strength. Jesus, meet them with Your abundant grace and mercy; Holy Spirit, speak to them in the stillness as they rest in You and listen to Your voice! Grant us all the assurance that YOU WILL ALWAYS guide us by the hand in life and until we meet You face to face!

In Jesus’ Name!