Psalm 91 RSV
5 You will not fear the terror of the night
nor the arrow that flies by day
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand.
Soldiers in the First World War referred to Psalm 91
as "The Trench Psalm" because they were experiencing
danger, and terror and destruction !
Thousands did fall by their sides !
and tens of thousands close by !
In prosperous countries, in peacetime,
such physical violence and danger
is not the experience of churchgoers.
We may be fortunate enough to be separated from
these experiences by many years or by many miles
( in 2014 civilians are victims of military conflict in many countries).
BUT .....
There is still only one body of Christ !
and true members of the body of Christ
identify with those in pain, in danger and suffering.
Psalm 91:11 RSV
For he will give his angels charge over you
to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up...........
To day true members of the body of Christ
are one with the angels of God
in guarding the afflicted in all their ways.
Psalm 91 tells us what is the Godly thing to do.
Psalm 91:15 RSV
When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble
I will rescue him and honor him.
This "rescue and honor" applies to refugees from violence anywhere.....
Hungry people, homeless people, oppressed and dispossessed
are our neighbours.
And when it comes to healthcare, education and security,
there is only one class of person.
We all have one God,and one Creator and
there is one Saviour for us all.....Jesus Christ.
When we realize that our actions or attitudes fail to reflect God's truth,
in Christ we find forgiveness and grace to live in harmony with his will
and loving purpose for us....
Then we can unite with the angels of God in our actions
to guard the children of his creation in all their ways
and to bear them up in our hands.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night
nor the arrow that flies by day
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand.
Soldiers in the First World War referred to Psalm 91
as "The Trench Psalm" because they were experiencing
danger, and terror and destruction !
Thousands did fall by their sides !
and tens of thousands close by !
In prosperous countries, in peacetime,
such physical violence and danger
is not the experience of churchgoers.
We may be fortunate enough to be separated from
these experiences by many years or by many miles
( in 2014 civilians are victims of military conflict in many countries).
BUT .....
There is still only one body of Christ !
and true members of the body of Christ
identify with those in pain, in danger and suffering.
Psalm 91:11 RSV
For he will give his angels charge over you
to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up...........
To day true members of the body of Christ
are one with the angels of God
in guarding the afflicted in all their ways.
Psalm 91 tells us what is the Godly thing to do.
Psalm 91:15 RSV
When he calls to me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble
I will rescue him and honor him.
This "rescue and honor" applies to refugees from violence anywhere.....
Hungry people, homeless people, oppressed and dispossessed
are our neighbours.
And when it comes to healthcare, education and security,
there is only one class of person.
We all have one God,and one Creator and
there is one Saviour for us all.....Jesus Christ.
When we realize that our actions or attitudes fail to reflect God's truth,
in Christ we find forgiveness and grace to live in harmony with his will
and loving purpose for us....
Then we can unite with the angels of God in our actions
to guard the children of his creation in all their ways
and to bear them up in our hands.
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