Title: By Night and By Day

Date: 2007-08-26

Reference: Psalm 121 and Romans 8: 38-39

""A popular preacher has said: “I used to think life was hills and valleys. We to through dark times and at times we are on the mountain tops. We go back and forth. Now I think of life like two rails on a RR track. And at all times something good and something difficult is happening in your life. No matter how good things are in your life there are always challenges to be worked on. And no matter how bad things seem there is always something you can thank God for. “

Psalm 121 reminds us life is like a journey. There are always those things for which we are thankful and there are always those issues that cause us concern. There are days when the road of life, on which we are traveling, can take a sudden sharp turn. Life’s sudden surprises can find us completely unprepared. Issues relating to work, career, family, health, finances, relationships can come out of nowhere.

We know life can at times be difficult. We’ve all encountered that bend in the road. We’ve all come face to face with circumstances we never expected to encounter. In life there are those disruptive moments and those unanticipated events most of which we would have chosen to avoid if possible. Those disruptive moments are associated with pain, inconvenience, failure, uncertainty, and humiliation. M. Scott Peck begins his book The Road Less Traveled with three simple, indisputable words.”Life is Difficult.”

Pain in life draws us closer to God and closer to God’s word. God's provision for the disruptive moment is Grace. God says: “My Grace is sufficient for you.”

Remember this truth.God has always been there and God will always be with us. Our situation is important to God. Sometimes those disruptive moments in life are often Divine appointments. In life, progress without some pain is usually not possible. Again the promise of God is the provision of Grace.

When the Psalmist saw the worst life had to deal out he could still remember the goodness of God. In moments of despair David reminded himself that God has proven Himself faithful through it all. God had brought him through. David had confidence in the future because he had confidence in the one holding the future.

A teenager named Buck was walking to a friends apartment from a subway station when he was suddenly accosted by two men. One said: “Give me your wallet, I have a gun.” Buck responded simply, “No.” Again, “Give me your wallet or we’ll beat you up.” By now the robber was more pleading than demanding. Again the answer was simply, “No.” Buck kept on walking and a few steps later realized the two men had stopped following him. Later his friend asked: “Weren’t you scared to death?” “Sure I was.” “Why didn’t you give him your wallet? “ ”Because” said Buck, “I had my learners permit in it.” It may not be wise to argue with robbers, but the best answer to fear is always no. Courage is the resistence to fear and the mastery of fear not the absence of fear.

Psalm 121 reminds us God is watching over us by Night and by Day. God is the pilgrim traveler’s shade on his right hand. Travelers along the ancient roads felt deep anxiety about the desert heat and the possibility of sunstroke. Israel like the American West has dry heat that is oppressive and can drain away every ounce of vitality. A couple of weeks ago my family attended the Air show here at the Pueblo Airport. It was a wonderful show and our community should be proud to have such an event.

There wasn’t much shade. A few trailers offered a bit of shade. Many had the foresight to bring umbrellas. Many others stood on the hot pavement and melted. I think you could have sold shade at that event. You could have also sold shade at the State Fair Parade yesterday.

Imagine traveling in oppressive heat across the desert. One would be very aware of the special dangers associated with heat. The 121st Psalm says God gives us shade in His Right Hand. Around the clock God protects those who are on the journey of life. God protects us by day reminding us “The sun shall not strike you by day.”

When the day is over we are protected by night. The sun shall not strike you by day nor the moon by night. Every hear of being moonstruck? There have always been superstitions concerning the moon. People believed the moonlight brought dangers and the moon could be as deadly as the sun. We still speak of strange behavior during the full moon. The words lunacy and lunatic come from the word lunar or moon. Many people still suffer from night fears. Almost every child has begged for a night light. Darkness and loneliness can hold special terrors for many. Some suffer from insomnia and long nights become even longer. A sleepless night can be a difficult time to endure.

The Message of the 121st Psalm is God will provide for you in the heat of the day and in the terrors of night. God will never leave your side. The Lord will preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever. The Lord will preserve you from all evil. The Lord will preserve our soul.

I believe there is nothing outside of God’s control. Bad things do happen in life. But nothing is outside of God’s control. God has promised to keep our life.

We know life doesn’t end when we breathe our last breath. There is so much more to life than we experience here on earth. We are eternal creatures. God is the keeper of our earthly life and our eternal life as well. As the traveler looks at the long road before him we know God is faithful.

This Psalm reminds us God cares about the treadmill of life. Whether we are going out or coming in God is watching over us. When the road looks treacherous we can look to the hills and know God watches over us on our entire journey here and in the next world. No matter what the future holds, no matter what lies around the next corner, our help comes from the Lord who loves us. Nothing can keep us from His love. No matter what it is we are facing. No matter which way the road breaks. No matter the obstacle we are facing God is before us and God provides.

As the Apostle said.”I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor powers nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth nor any created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

There is a classic line from the book Pilgrim’s Progress that says.”Life is a journey and we must all walk the path.” Sometimes there are storms in life. We had a hail storm Thursday night that broke dozens of windows in the church. Someone has said trees and plants grow during times of vicious winds and storms. If you could take a cross section of earth during a vicious storm you could observe the roots reaching further into the soil.

When we are facing difficult times we would be wise to sink our spiritual roots deeper into God’s word. When life is smooth and calm we are tempted to hold back part of our heart. We relax spiritually as if everything is under control. Perhaps God sends the storms or allows the storms of life so we will look for Christ walking on the waves.

The Psalmist reminds us that the hands of God the hands that created the universe and made us from the dust of the earth are the same hands that hold us in his gentle love. We celebrate our changing needs and God’s unchanging faithfulness. The more we have crammed into our schedule the more problems we have the more we have to pray about. God is our keeper. God is our shade. The sun shall not strike us by day nor the moon by night. The Lord will watch over us and our coming and going from this time and forever. I lift up my eyes to the hills. My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. ""