06182022 Stability

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the Watchful God. God is better than any parent, babysitter, or family pet. He watches His children at all times and in all places.

An eighth category of God's blessing to the believer is that of stability. Life is filled with changes and with ups and downs, but the believer enjoys an underlying foundation of stability. Because of this, he can remain firm even in changing times. “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water” (Psalm 1:3).

The one who trusts in God is not moved or shaken. “He that doeth these things shall never be moved” (Psalm 15:5). “He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22). Both of these verses use the word “never.” The word “moved” means to waver, slip, slide, or be thrown off course. Even in threatening times of turmoil and assault, the believer can remain solidly and confidently in the place he ought to be. Psalm 125:1 uses the same word when it says, “They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed.” This stability is as sure as an unmovable mountain.

The stability is thorough and sure. “Nothing shall offend them [cause to stumble]” (Psalm 119:165). This is pretty amazing truth. In the midst of life's storms, when faith is under attack, and when everything seems in opposition, a believer can start to question his ability to remain faithful. He can sense the spiritual vulnerability in which his natural man wants to tell him to abandon his faith. But God says that no matter how difficult those battles are or how many they are, the believer can continue faithfully without stumbling or being thrown off course.

Part of this stability is the aspect of safety. “Now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety” (Psalm 12:5). Whereas the previous verses probably refer primarily to the state of a man's soul, this verse is directed more toward his actual circumstances. God protects His children.

The assurance of this protection provides peace and security. “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8). The believer can be so stable that he is able to rest with a quiet mind and body even when dangers threaten. He knows that God will watch over him. This is not just a small measure or an occasional experience of peace. “Great peace have they which love thy law” (Psalm 119:165). Such overwhelming peace is both a result of stability and a contributor to stability.

The peaceful stability is possible because God holds His children. With His hand He keeps them in their position. “Thy right hand hath holden me up” (Psalm 18:35). God takes it upon Himself to maintain and protect. “The Lord preserveth all them that love him” (Psalm 145:20).

The status of the wicked is far different. Instead of stability even in the storm, unbelievers struggle to have stability even in normal life. Rather, they are tossed and turned at every hand. “The ungodly … are like the chaff which the wind driveth away” (Psalm 1:4). Instead of stability, they are transient, easily fallen, and quickly forgotten. “For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb” (Psalm 37:2). There is no real or lasting stability for those who do not follow God.

May you find strength and peace this week in knowing the stability that only God can give and in resting in His care.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA