12272025 Constantly Watching

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our gentle God, who tells us, “I am watching over you all the time.”

While certain groups of people are especially susceptible to loneliness, it can affect anyone. Loneliness is not exclusive to physical isolation; it can also occur when we feel a disconnect or lack of understanding from those around us. We can feel like we are alone in a particular aspect of life, going through a challenge that outsiders cannot quite comprehend. It is also true, even when one is happily married and in a supportive family, that those family members cannot be present and alert at every moment. There can be lonely and isolated moments during the busyness of the day and especially during the quiet slumber of the night. It is hard to be alone or to feel alone, but there is One whose presence and support are constant. God says . . .

“I laid me down and slept; I awaked, for the LORD sustained me” (3:5).

“I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety” (4:8).

“I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons” (16:7).

“For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness” (18:28).

“Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me” (42:8).

“As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice” (55:16-17).

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits” (68:19).

“Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand” (73:23).

“He that keepeth thee will not slumber” (121:3).

God says, “You are never alone. When people’s lack of understanding leaves you feeling alone, I understand. When people cannot be physically with you, I am with you. When those who care about you are sleeping or involved in other matters, I am still alert to your situation. I am with you every day. I am with you at every part of the day. I am with you even in the darkest nights. At all of these times, I am watching over you, giving you light, holding you, and hearing you. You can always come to Me. You can always trust in Me. You can even sleep in peace as you rest in My care.”

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

12202025 Keep from Disastrous Fall

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our gentle, stabilizing, and sustaining God. His loving words say, “I’m not going to let you fall into disaster.”

There are times when it feels like life is about to fall apart. Perhaps better stated, there are times when I feel like I’m about to fall apart. Life becomes more than what I can handle. The pressure is intense. My spirit becomes worn and weary, and perhaps even my faith starts to stagger under the load. I recognize my own weakness and realize that I could collapse and fall. In fact, there are times that such a collapse seems inevitable and imminent. I think to myself, “I have followed God all these years and have walked the paths He has laid out for me. Always before I have pulled through the tough times, but this time I’m not so sure. It doesn’t look or feel good right now.” It seems like I am about to fall into oblivion and never recover. But, oh, there is glorious truth for such oppressive times! There is a God who has been faithful for all those years. He has given help and deliverance over and over again, and He has not gone anywhere. He has not lost His power. He wants me to continue and succeed, and this loving God gently says . . .

“Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip” (18:35-36).

“Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand” (37:24).

“Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved” (66:9).

“When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up” (94:18).

“He will suffer thy foot to be moved” (121:3).

God says, “I am right here. I know what your path is like. I know how threatening and treacherous it seems. But I would not have asked you to walk this path if I were not going to help you through it. Even here, I am preparing the path and making it safer for you. Take My hand and let me guide you step by step. You might take a misstep here or there – you might stumble or slide a little. But if I am holding your hand, you are not going to plummet off the path. You will not fall irreparably. This path will come out exactly where and when I want it to, and when it does, we will emerge together. Walk with me.”

Merry Christmas! May God bless your ministry efforts during this week and bless you with peace and joy in remembering His greatest gift.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

12132025 God Gives Help

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our gentle Helper. Our gentle God declares: I will give you the help you need.

What good does it do to pray if God doesn’t respond with help? That’s like filling out the appropriate form and dropping it into a suggestion box that drops into a trash can or into a requisition box that is unmonitored. Or, to put it another way, it’s a lot like the people we know. They might care about our situation, but how many times have we heard them say, “I wish there were something I could do,” or “I don’t know what to say”? Sometimes when people offer to help, there honestly isn’t anything they can do, because the dynamics are outside of their control. That’s never true of God. He always knows what to do and say. His wisdom and power mean that He is always capable of intervening. His help is diverse; depending on the need, He can supply wisdom, grace, resources, rescue, relief, hope, and more. Because God cares, He responds to our prayers and to our needs with the appropriate help. God says . . .

“He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters” (18:16).

“For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret place of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock” (27:5).

“Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine” (33:18-19).

“But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble” (37:39).

“And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me” (50:15).

“The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies” (59:10).

“Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice” (63:7).

“I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots” (81:6).

“The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me. Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee. For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling” (116:6-8).

“He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. The LORD preserveth all them that love him” (145:19-20).

God says, “I’m not just full of empty words. My caring goes beyond glib reassurances. I know what solution you need. I know what support you need to hold you over until that solution is achieved. I know how to bring about the solution, and I have the power to do it. I am not ignoring or overlooking you, even if the help seems slow to arrive. I am holding you, and I am working out My answer and My plan. Don’t despair. You are in good hands.”

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

12062025 God Hears Anguished Prayers

 

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our loving and gentle God.  He is the God who tells us, “When you cry out in anguish, I pay attention and respond.”

It is certainly stabilizing and comforting to believe that God hears my prayers. It does seem, however, that not all prayers are equal. It is one thing to pray regarding the details of normal life: safety traveling, getting through a dentist appointment, blessing on meals, working out the details of an event, recovering from a minor illness, and so on. Those prayers matter. It is important for me to pray them, and it is meaningful that God hears and answers them. But there are other prayers that are on a completely different level. There are prayers at times that I am completely overwhelmed – when the situation is especially serious, dangerous, or oppressive. These could be an intense spiritual struggle, a severe health situation, a family crisis, a looming potential tragedy, or a decision or ruling with tremendous long-term impact. These prayers are far from routine, and they are sometimes squeezed out more in soul groaning than in actual words. At these desperate and serious times, there is nothing more important than knowing that God is listening. That He cares and answers and responds in these most difficult times of life. God says . . .

“I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill” (3:4).

“The LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping” (6:8).

“For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him” (12:5).

“For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard” (22:24).

“I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (34:4).

“This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles” (34:6).

“The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry” (34:15).

“The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles” (34:17).

“But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God” (40:17).

“I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me” (77:1).

“Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder” (81:7).

“In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me” (86:7).

“He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him” (91:15).

“Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry: and he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies” (106:44-45).

“Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses” (107:6).

“I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place” (118:5).

“In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me” (120:1).

God says, “I hear your most desperate prayers. I hear you when all you can do is groan and cry. I hear you when you are in trouble, distress, and affliction. When your situation is unfathomably difficult and when you are helpless, I am here. Come to me. Talk to me. Tell me your burden – in words if you can, and in groaning of soul if that is all you can do. I want you to know that I am not unmoved by your anguish. I will support you and help you until the time that I choose to rescue you. There is not a situation that you face that is too difficult for Me. So come and tell Me, then rest in My care.”

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

11292025 I Hear Your Prayers

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our gentle, loving God. I have finished reading through the Psalms, looking for His gentle words. I am now filling out some of those concepts. Here is the first. One of the gentle reassurances from God is “I hear your prayers.”

Why would I doubt this? Basically because I am human and because my knowledge is limited. I don’t always see the answers I seek, and I don’t always see them right away. I don’t know why God chooses to answer differently or chooses to delay. I don’t know His big picture or how He is incorporating the situation into His bigger plan. But the biggest challenges in my struggles with prayer are when those delays or different answers happen on a grand scale. When I go through a stage that it seems that none of my numerous important requests are being answered. When it seems like He denies multiple times or delays to an extraordinary length of time. Or when He gives the answer (or at least seems to be moving things in the direction of an answer). Just when I am thanking Him for His answer, He reverses things, and what He had done (or had been doing) dissipates into disappointment. At those times I can be tempted to feel like there is no reason for me to continue praying. What difference does it make? My prayers feel useless and ineffective, and I doubt whether God will choose to do anything that I ask. For some reason unknown to me, it feels like He has turned the setting for my prayers to ignore or disregard. But God says . . .

“The LORD will hear when I call unto Him” (4:3).

“Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up” (5:1-3).

“The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer” (6:9).

“I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech” (17:6).

“In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears” (18:6).

“Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped” (28:6-7).

“O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me” (30:2).

“I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD” (40:1-3).

“But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me” (66:19-20).

“I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live” (116:1-2).

God says, “I hear your prayers. They reach me. I hear your burdens. In fact, I know what you need before you ask. Often I am already moving things to work out the answer. But I do know what is best, and I do know the best way to bring about the best answer. Sometimes you will just need to wait on Me and trust Me, even when I delay or give an answer that you do not expect. In the midst of your confusion or disappointment over the current situation, do not forget how many times I have answered prayer for you in the past. I do hear you. Keep praying. It is the right thing to do. I want you to come to Me. I want you to acknowledge Me as the source of your help and as the strength in your need.”

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

11232025 Laughing at the Future

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our God, who holds all things in His hands. He holds future events, and He holds us as we face them.

I was recently looking at Proverbs 31:25. “Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.” I was especially focused on the second part of the verse about rejoicing in time to come.

As I studied that phrase, I realized that I had always misunderstood its meaning. I assumed it meant that when she was older, she would look back on her life and rejoice over how her life had gone. Or that it was a reference to joy-worthy things that would happen in her future if she keeps following God. Neither of those are bad concepts, and I think that both of them would be true of a godly lady. However, I found something encouraging and instructive when I got closer to what I believe the intent of the verse really is.

The word “rejoice” gives us the idea of some kind of celebration. In fact, in every source I am looking at, the truest translation of the word is “laugh.” That laughter can be in pleasure or merriment, so my previous interpretations of the verse could be correct, but more often the laughter is in scorn, mocking, or derision.

As an example, it is the word for God’s laughter in Psalm 2, when the heathen rage against God and make their vain plans to rebel against Him. God views their puny plans, and his response is to “laugh” and “have them in derision” (verse 4). It’s the kind of laughter that says, “You have no idea. You are no match for me. Your plans are empty and foolish.”

I found in Job what I believe is a very close parallel to the Proverbs 31 verse. In chapter 5, Eliphaz is speaking about the man God interacts with and delivers. He states, “At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth” (verse 22).

This is not speaking of a laughter of pleasure, mirth, or enjoyment; it is speaking of a laughter of confidence that scorns, mocks, and dismisses the threatening evil. It is a parallel to the lack of fear in the second part of the verse. Notice the situations in which this laughter can take place – destruction, famine, attacks by wild beasts.

Let’s go back to the Proverbs 31 woman. All the other descriptions of this lady are about what she is now and about what she is doing now. Even from that context, it makes sense that this phrase also refers to something in her current heart response. I think the idea is that she laughs in regard to times to come; in other words, she laughs at the future.

How and why does she do that? I’m sure she is aware, like the rest of us, that life is not all fun and games. There will be times of destruction and famine. There will be attacks by wild beasts. She isn’t necessarily expecting those, nor is she being frivolous about serious things, but even in her awareness that they could happen, she has a confidence in her God. She knows that none of those threats hold power over God. She knows that God can take care of any situation that comes her way, and He can take care of her within every situation.

There is no need for fear. There is no need to live in constant anxiety about what might happen. Even when looming danger threatens, she can be confident in God’s protection. With God at her side, the threats are empty. Or perhaps more precisely, the threats are limited and impotent. They will not win in the end.

The truth is that hard things will come in life. Some of the challenges threaten to swallow us up. But I really like the perspective of this woman who laughs at the future. Her heart is at rest, because she knows that no challenge is too great for God to see her through. Instead of trembling in fear, she responds with confidence. Her laughter is something along the lines of, “Do you really think you are any match for the God who watches over me?”

Perhaps on the outside, there are times that she will weep, but on the inside, there is still a confidence that her God will ultimately deliver her and will conquer all evil and every threat. He will be with her and will walk with her through every situation. She trusts Him, and she hopes in Him.

That’s what I want. A heart that trusts God regarding my future. A heart that confidently expects Him to oversee all the days that I do not yet know about. A knowledge that no threat is a match for my God. May God hold your hearts also in that confident expectation and trust.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

11152025 Gentle Words

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our gentle God. There are lots of things we need to know about God, and there are lots of different kinds of words that we need to hear from God. Sometimes what we need to know and hear is His gentleness.

This week I started reading again through the Psalms – my old and dear friends. As I did so, I almost immediately started to notice verses that spoke of the gentleness and tenderness of God. Maybe in future weeks I will share some more of these and maybe even organize them, but today I thought I would share the verse that was the first one to really jump out at me and impress me with God’s gentleness.

“For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him” (Psalm 12:5).

I think that God’s gentleness is nowhere more evident than by those who are needy. This verse speaks of the poor and the needy, but there is more than just their condition. There is also their awareness of their condition; their needy condition is oppressive and burdensome. We see here that the poor are oppressed and that the needy are sighing.

Can you picture these poor people? It’s like you can see that life is not going well for them and perhaps has not been going well for them for some time now. The difficulty is just squeezing the life and hope out of them. They hardly feel that they can survive anymore. They have no strength or will to go on. The only thing left to them is simply to let ooze out of them what fills their spirit, and it is an oppressed sigh. Like their spirit is groaning.

This is not merely the setting where God’s gentleness is most evident, but it is also the setting where His gentleness is most needed. These oppressed, sighing people desperately need the gentle hand of God to touch them. They need His gentle voice to speak to them.

God does that. While this verse does not explicitly say so, it is evident that God cannot respond with gentleness without first noticing the pitiful condition of the sufferers. God sees them. That is important for these people to know.

Beyond seeing them, God understands. He realizes that the situation is difficult. He doesn’t gloss over it or expect them to “man up” and just deal with it. God knows the sorrows of our souls better than we know them ourselves. When our spirits sigh, He knows just how to translate that sighing.

After God sees and understands, He cares. Their pain and struggle matter to Him. He is not detached and aloof. He is not seeing yet unconcerned.

After God sees and understands and cares, He acts. He intervenes. In this verse, God purposes to rise up and take action. He determines to do something. There is deliberate action that requires movement on His part.

After God sees and understands and cares and acts, He delivers. God’s action is not an empty pat on the back. He picks that person up and sets him in a safe place where the oppressor can no longer aggravate him. He provides the relief that the soul has so desperately craved.

God’s answers are not always immediate. That is evident even within this verse. God did not deliver this person at the first moment of difficulty. The trial went on long enough that the person was sorely oppressed and left sighing. The point is not that God immediately delivers us from everything hard, but that He always sees us and always cares and that He always moves in at the right time. Often that is just when we feel like we cannot take any more.

If you are in (or approaching) such a situation, I pray that you will take heart from this verse. God sees you. God hears your sigh. God understands your pain and emptiness. God cares for you. God will sustain you, and when the time is right, He will step in and rescue you. Take comfort in the tender heart of God and in His gentle nature toward His dear children who are in agony. Maybe soon, He will arise and set you in safety. Pray for that, with confidence in His gentle care. Hope in Him.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

11092025 Ministry Given by God

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the One who loves the world and desires all men to be saved. While God does the work in hearts, He chooses us to be part of the process.

Surely you have observed that not every Christian has the same role in that process. In fact, very often our role changes over time. John the Baptist had an amazing role in preparing for the Messiah. God used him in a tremendous way to prepare the way of the Lord. Large crowds came; John challenged them regarding the way they were living and pointed them to the Lamb of God who was emerging onto the scene. Jesus Himself acknowledged the unique and effective ministry of John.

But then things began to change. As John directed people’s attention toward Jesus, people did start to follow Jesus. John’s crowds grew smaller while those following Jesus grew in size (John 1:35-41 and 3:22-26). When some of John’s remaining followers expressed their concern about the decline in ministry, John was not upset. He stated, “A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven” (John 3:27).

It was God who gave John his mission and ministry. John fulfilled what God called him to do. He was the voice calling in the wilderness, preparing the way. There came a time when that ministry was no longer needed. Jesus had a core group of sincere followers, and He had a much larger following of those who wanted to learn of His teaching and see His miracles. Jesus was no longer anonymous. His fame spread, and He was known to the common people, to the Jewish leaders, and even to some in the occupying government.

It was God who also gave Jesus His mission and ministry. Jesus stated over and over again that He came to do His Father’s will. He did nothing that was not given to Him by the Father. He did nothing of His own initiative. Jesus accepted the role that was given to Him. Jesus’ ministry also changed over time. He started with a few. He became overrun by crowds so that He could not escape. He faced opposition as both the common people and the rulers struggled to accept His teaching. That opposition grew to the point of constant threat and then His eventual crucifixion. Jesus accomplished all that the Father gave Him to do.

God still continues to choose a mission and ministry for His servants. Whatever the ministry that a man (or woman) has, he has that ministry only because it is given to him from heaven. God chooses their backgrounds and upbringings. He chooses their spiritual gifts. He chooses their place of service. He guides in their training and in their specific niche of service.

Some serve in hard fields, where the ground is unyielding, while others serve in fields white unto harvest. Some labor to lay the groundwork, while others reap after decades of preparation. Some serve in small villages, while others serve in large urban areas. Some have ministries that are interrupted by political instability or by debilitating health. Some have influence primarily with children, while the adults refuse to believe. Others have sufficient qualified men to provide proper leadership in the church. Some work with families, some with lepers, some with refugees, some with the poor, some with the deaf, some with students, and so on. The results are going to vary based on the combination of factors.

God simply calls us to labor faithfully within the ministry that He has given us. As with John and Jesus, the ministry can change over time. Times of success may turn into times of dryness. Large crowds of curious seekers may dissolve into a core group of true followers. Our energy to work eighty hours a week may diminish into a few profitable hours. The opposites of all those can happen as well. A tragedy can suddenly turn people’s hearts. A new ministry partner can bolster our outreach. A new contact can open a door with a new group of people.

Whatever happens, it is the ministry chosen and given from heaven. There should be no shame or regret in living out the ministry that God has determined, even if it seems small and ineffective. There should be no pride if the growth and results are robust. We sow, we water, but God gives the increase. We simply serve Him with the measure of grace, ability, and opportunity that He provides.

May God encourage you in your ministry, whatever it is. May He give you strength for the demands, wisdom for the decisions, patience, hope, joy, and peace in serving Him.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

11012025 Mud Season

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of God our Rock. That matters.

When I lived in New Hampshire, people sometimes used to joke that we didn’t have summer there. My reply was, “Yes, we do. Last year it was on a Wednesday.”

After that brief summer came autumn, then wiiiiiiiinteeeeer. Then mud season. Mud season is hard to explain if you haven’t lived through it. My best attempt is that the ground doesn’t seem firm. When you set your foot down, it’s like the whole surface underneath your foot is squishy. Or shifty. Like the surface is unstable. Like an earthquake. The surface slides around. See, I was right. I can’t really explain it.

I have thought that sometimes life is like that, though. You’re walking, but everywhere you put your foot, it feels like the surface is shifting underneath you, and it’s not quite firm. Of course, I’m talking now about life and faith and feeling uncomfortable and maybe a little uncertain.

But here’s the good thing about mud season (and why I think it provides a good parallel for life). You can walk on the mud. You don’t sink in like quicksand. It’s just the surface that is shifty, but underneath there is solid ground. Walking on that surface, I might have concern that huge clods of mud will build up on my shoes. I might have concern that I could slip or fall. But I don’t have concern that I will sink through the earth. I don’t have concern that the ground will either disappear or swallow me up. I know it’s just the surface layer that is uncomfortably squishy.

That’s how it is with life also – with the faith journey. No matter how squishy and uncomfortable the surface feels, there is solid ground underneath. You might get a little muddy, and you might slip, but you won’t sink through or get swallowed up. There is a rock-solid foundation that cannot disappear. That knowledge is what enables us to keep walking forward. Sure, it might not feel great at the moment, but nothing eternally tragic is going to happen.

God is a rock. Trust in Him is well-placed. “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his” (II Timothy 2:19). “And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer” (Psalm 78:35).

Maybe no one else thinks like me, but I hope this unusual illustration can be an encouragement. Even if every step feels squishy, there is a firm foundation underneath. Trust in that, and keep walking.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

10262025 Hearing and Faith

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God of salvation. He is not willing that any should perish, and He offers the invitation to all who would come.

Sadly, not all accept that invitation. It is not simply because they do not hear the truth. “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it” (Hebrews 4:2). These people heard God’s truth, but it did not transform them, because it was not mixed with faith.

As humans, we want to be able to understand and explain everything. There is an element to salvation that we cannot fully make sense of from a human standpoint. We can’t see what happens in the heart and the will. We can’t confirm the reality of heaven through eyewitness accounts. Salvation requires that we leap off a cliff and put all our trust in the safety net that will catch us. It demands that we stake everything on our belief that God will save us through our trust in Christ’s finished work alone. That leap requires faith.

How many people have heard the Word and have rejected it? How many have had it explained over and over again? As of yet, they have not accepted it. The gospel has not profited them. There might be various aspects included in their rejection, but in the end, it comes down to faith. The hearing and understanding must be mixed with faith. Faith is a spiritual work, and it is a volitional act of choosing to accept and trust what cannot be fully proven.

Today I am praying, as you share the Word in various settings, that people would respond on that most important level. That after the facts are given and understood, they would be mixed with faith on the part of the hearers. That people would be ready and willing to make the jump – throwing everything on what cannot be seen.

Perhaps there are some with whom you have labored long. Some who have been earnest observers and questioners. Or some whose lives have just fallen apart and they are now beginning to look for answers. Whatever the scenario, may you see today and this week some in whom faith is mixed with the hearing of the Word, so that they come to the place of salvation. May God through His Spirit work in hearts in that way.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

10192025 Deeper Faith

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God who effectively leads us in our faith.

What do I mean by that? Well, when we were first saved, we believed in God, but is our faith now the exact same as it was then? Our faith has grown. It has been stretched and strengthened. God is good to do this for us.

The first disciples believed in Jesus when they first met Him. John 1:35-51 recounts these meetings. John the Baptist called Him “the Lamb of God.” Two disciples (Andrew and probably John the apostle) called him “Rabbi,” but after they spent time talking with Him, Andrew called Him “the Messias.” After his own encounter, Nathanael readily acknowledged Jesus as “the Son of God” and “the King of Israel.” These men believed in Jesus.

In John 2, Jesus performed His first miracle, turning the water to wine at the wedding feast. This sign miracle displayed the glory of the Savior, and afterward “his disciples believed on him” (2:11). Their previous belief was strengthened to new and deeper belief because of what they saw Him do.

Later in John 2, Jesus cleansed the temple by casting out the moneychangers and sellers of animals. In His response to the angry Jews, Jesus made the statement about His body, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (2:19). No one understood what He meant at the time, but after he was resurrected, His disciples remembered what He had said, and now they understood it. In response, “they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said” (2:22). The previous level of belief was again strengthened.

There were many other reinforcements along the way, through the things Jesus did and said, but there is an interesting story that happened after the resurrection. Jesus had appeared to ten of the disciples when Thomas was absent. Thomas’s faith needed some strengthening, so Jesus appeared again and ministered directly to Thomas, inviting him to touch his wounds, just as Thomas had claimed he needed. Thomas responded with renewed belief (John 20:27-29).

Disclaimer: Most of the above is not primarily from my own study. I heard it in some sermons. I then pondered it, put it together into a single brief study, and expanded it a bit. What was meaningful to me is to realize that God knows all about our faith. He knows the struggles and weakness that we sometimes have. He purposefully works to build our faith. He does that at times through His actions on our behalf, like He did at Cana. He does that also by helping us to understand His Word, as resulted after the resurrection. And sometimes – isn’t this precious? – He does it very gently, very compassionately, and very personally, as He did with Thomas.

May we all have open eyes to see God’s work on our behalf, open minds to receive His Word, and open hearts to accept His ministering. Through these avenues, God can work to build and reinforce our faith, so that we will always believe in Him, but with a faith and belief that grows deeper, richer, and stronger. Father, may it be!

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

10122025 Constant Seasons

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our faithful God.  He does indeed continue the same year after year.

A few days ago I was on my way to work when I saw it. There it was - on a shaded bank – the first frost of the season. While man cannot know from year to year precisely when that will happen, we can rest assured that it will happen every year. Why? Because God said so. “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22).

Unless we escape to a balmy tropical climate, the number of times we see the first frost is the same as the number of years we have been alive. Some years trend warmer or colder than others, but God faithfully maintains the seasons. He also faithfully maintains the days. Winter daylight is shorter than summer daylight, but regardless of the length of the night, the sun always rises to start a new day. I can take the number of my first frosts and multiply by 365 and add in a few leap days. And God has never failed to bring day and night.

My life is such a short representation of God’s faithfulness. If we consider that the earth is approximately 6000 years old, that’s how many times God has gone through the faithful rotation of seasons. (Unless seasons didn’t start until after the Flood, but still an impressive, unbroken streak.) As far as day and night, that’s over two million times that He has made the sun rise. Without ever failing once.

This faithful God walks with us day after day – loving us, forgiving us, guiding us, meeting our needs. He doesn’t fail at that job either. May you be encouraged as you continue to trust Him for the days that are yet to come.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

10042025 Ready for My Day

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God who is always ready to face the day. I say that because I am not always ready to face my day! God never has such issues.

Recently I read this verse. “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up” (Psalm 5:3). It seemed like such a perfect verse for me in the mornings. When I am not ready to face my day, I can turn to God and tell Him about it.

I can tell Him that the day is too big for me and that I need His help. As I pray that way, I am looking up to Him to meet me where I am. I am depending on Him to carry me through, to guide all things, and to do for me what I cannot do.

Such a simple concept, and one I have tried to remember since then. To start my day saying, “Father, I can’t do this, and I am looking to You and asking You for Your help with this day.”

Short and sweet today, but I hope this is a blessing. Take care.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

09272025 I Will Dwell in the House of the LORD forever

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the eternal God, who invites us to share eternity with Him. David concludes Psalm 23 with these words: “And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

Throughout Scripture there is some breadth of meaning for the “house of the LORD.” Obviously, the temple was not built yet during David’s lifetime. I believe the heart behind David’s words is that of a close relationship or proximity to God, whether that be in this life or the next. The point of David’s statement is that it will never end, so I believe that his primary message is regarding eternity in heaven.

This would not preclude a closeness with God here on this earth, as the introduction to that forever-closeness. “And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever” (Ps. 41:12). “He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him” (Ps. 61:7). I believe both of these verses start with David’s closeness to God on this earth and continue with his closeness to God in heaven.

David highly esteemed God’s house and close fellowship with God. “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple” (Ps. 65:4). “For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me” (Ps. 69:9). Again, this started with earthly fellowship and earthly passion, but it ends in forever in a place beyond what this world can offer.

David did not expect his closeness to God to end when he died. David believed in eternity. God had revealed this truth to His followers even before the written Scriptures introduced it, and David had a personal revelation from God in the Davidic covenant. “When thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I raise up thy seed after thee” (I Chr. 17:11). “Going to be with his fathers” meant more than death; it meant reunion with people who were now living with God. After his child died, David anticipated an eventual reunion with that child. “But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me” (II Samuel 12:23).

David fervently believed in “forever.” This started with knowing that death was not the end. “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption” (Ps. 16:10). While the second part of this verse is fulfilled in Jesus, Psalm 16 is personal for David, and the first part of the verse indicates he does not expect to stay in the grave. David expected a long life, but even the longest of lives on this earth does not equate with David’s expectation of forever and ever. “He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it to him, even length of days for ever and ever. For thou hast made him most blessed for ever” (Ps. 21:4,6a). David expected to live beyond this life.

David did not hold this expectation for himself only, but for all of God’s true followers. “For the LORD loveth judgment and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever” (Ps. 37:28-29). Whether referring to Israel in particular or God’s followers in general, these verses cannot be ultimately fulfilled on this fallen earth. The wicked still exist, and no one has yet received an inheritance or land that cannot be threated. Those scenarios will change only in eternity.

Several verses seem to reach the pinnacle of David’s joy and wonder as he considers eternity with God. “As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore” (Ps. 133:3). Life forever! “Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations” (Ps. 145:13). Everlasting kingdom! How could there be any clearer statements about eternity!?

Then grasp this! David was not speaking abstractly or objectively. He wasn’t referring to eternity merely as a fact or detail. The fact that something lasts forever does not make it inherently good or desirable. But in the case of dwelling with God forever … Well, in that setting, David exclaims: “In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11b). Eternity with God will be unimaginable joy and splendor that we cannot even comprehend. So David prays, “I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings” (Ps. 61:4). Starting in his lifetime, David desired this closeness and belonging; he expected that it would never end.

I find it very interesting that this final statement of Psalm 23 is tacked on almost as an afterthought. David has described the many glorious ways in which his Shepherd cared for him, and then he closes with, “Oh, by the way, I’ll live in His house forever” without elaborating. But this simple statement absolutely overwhelms, engulfs, surpasses, and supersedes everything that has come before it! Compared to this phrase, the others are bland.

The wonder of God as our Shepherd doesn’t end with death; it grows astronomically. Think of it this way. Of all the things in verses 1-6a, which of them will still be true or needed in eternity? God will still be our Shepherd and will still supply all that we need, but no one in heaven will be thinking about needs. He will still be with us. That won’t change. He will still provide abundantly for us.

But think of the negatives – the things that will no longer apply. There will be no need or deprivation in heaven. There will no need of protection and oversight, because there will be no enemies or dangers. There will be no need for times of refreshment and peace, because everything will be that. There will be no need for our souls to be restored, as they will never again be crushed by hurt or fear, doubt or disappointment. There will be no need for guidance or for sanctification, because we will be made perfect in His presence. There will be no valleys, no shadows, no death, no fears, no evils, no threats. There will be no need for comfort or even for the written Word of God, as we will see God Himself clearly revealed and will have all the knowledge that He intends for us. There will be no enemies and no times of especially pressing needs. There will be no need for goodness and lovingkindness to sustain us during the trials or even drudgery of this life. No, no. All of these things will be gone – perhaps remaining as memories of God’s goodness and care for us in this life – but swallowed up in dwelling with Him in His house forever! What a glorious conclusion to a wonderful psalm!

Conclusion: This psalm is not written like theology. It is written as David’s personal testimony. Not one statement is empty or merely academic; it is all very personal. There are no trite or glib statements made simply because they are the right thing to say. David fervently believed these things. He had seen them and experienced them in special and meaningful ways.

While not written as theology, nevertheless, it is theology. Therefore, it can be the personal testimony of every believer. The details that you and I fill in will not be the same as David’s details. David’s life is not your life or my life, but David’s God is your God and my God. This can be our testimony, too. “The LORD is my shepherd.” Each of these statements can be just as special and meaningful for us as we also experience the special walk with our Shepherd and look toward eternity with Him.

I hope you have gleaned some of the profit, enjoyment, and encouragement that I have through this extended look at Psalm 23 through the eyes of David. God bless!

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

09202025 All the Days of My Life

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the faithful God who never changes. What He was yesterday, He is today, and He will be tomorrow. David recognized this when he anticipated, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” The previous two sections have talked about God’s goodness and lovingkindness. It is important to know what those terms mean, and it is helpful to understand what those two characteristics meant to David. Ultimately, however, David’s point was not just to mention these important attributes, but to express his confidence that they would continue with him faithfully through all of his days. David fully expected that God’s goodness and lovingkindness would never fail or cease.

This statement flows out of everything that has come before. All the previous declarations of David (that God had provided, guided, protected, refreshed, comforted, blessed) are manifestations of God’s goodness and lovingkindness. David has seen these interactions throughout his life so far, and he now states that he is certain they will continue to follow him for the remainder of his days. Why would it ever be any different? God does not change. Both David’s experience and his knowledge of God’s character provided irrefutable arguments that God’s previous actions as a Shepherd would continue faithfully through to the end.

David wanted to abide in the same beautiful relationship with God that he had experienced in the past. He knew the importance of remaining faithful and continuing to seek God, and he wanted that for every day of his life. “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple” (Ps. 27:4). As David continued his devoted walk with God, he had every expectation that God would continue to act toward him in the same faithful and wonderful ways.

Just as God always expresses lovingkindness, so are His ways always filled with it. David did not believe that God was sometimes favorable and sometimes contrary. All God’s paths were lovingkindness, so as David walked those paths, he could expect to see lovingkindness for all his days. “All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies” (Ps. 25:10).

David’s own testimony illustrates that God’s goodness and lovingkindness did follow him all the days of his life. When God gave His covenant to David, He promised to continue His lovingkindness even beyond David’s life to his son Solomon. “I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee” (I Chr. 17:13). David responded by acknowledging God’s blessing on his house and his faith in believing that God’s favor would continue. “Now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be before thee for ever: for thou blessest, O LORD, and it shall be blessed for ever” (I Chr. 17:27).

Near the end of his life, David gave instructions for Solomon and for the people in what may have been his last public address. What was important for him to say at that time? He prayed, “Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name” (I Chr. 29:10-13). He prayed words that praised God’s greatness and that recounted how God’s good hand had been with him and had mightily blessed him. Here at the end of his life, he could see that God’s goodness and lovingkindness had been with him all his days.

We also have what was one of David’s last private conversations. “Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying, I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man; and keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself: that the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel” (I Kings 2:1-4). Again, we see a man at the end of his days who sees the blessing of God’s goodness to him and his family.

Earlier in his life David had expected God’s goodness and lovingkindness to accompany him all his days, and when he reached those end days, his words indicated that it had been so. His last words were optimistic, awe-filled, and thankful, as he made a point to tell others of God’s goodness to him.

Some of you have many days remaining, while for others the days are fewer, but all of you can rest assured that God’s goodness and lovingkindness will follow you all of your days, to the very end! God bless.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

09132025 Surely Lovingkindness

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the kindest, most loving, most compassionate Person who exists. David said, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”

The second attribute of God that David expected to follow him all his days is mercy (chesed). Like “goodness,” it can be translated as kindness, goodness, or favor. It can also be translated as mercy or pity, giving the idea that the kindness stems from a generous heart response to someone’s difficult situation. It can also carry the idea of faithfulness. I prefer the term “lovingkindness” for this gentle and faithful love that responds with sympathy and kindness to the struggles of the one loved. With 50 references in his psalms, David had a lot to say about this very meaningful aspect of God’s character.

David notices that God’s lovingkindness abounds. There is no shortage. “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee” (Ps. 86:5). “The multitude of thy mercy” (Ps. 5:7). “Plenteous in mercy” (Ps. 86:15). “Of great mercy” (Ps. 145:8). “Plenteous in mercy” (Ps. 103:8).

A common way David expresses the greatness and vastness of God’s lovingkindness is by comparing it to the height of heaven. “For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him” (Ps. 103:11). “Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens” (Ps. 36:5). “For thy mercy is great unto the heavens” (Ps. 57:10). “Thy mercy is great above the heavens” (Ps. 108:4).

David also recognizes the longevity, constancy, and eternality of God’s lovingkindness. “Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old” (Ps. 25:6). “Let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me” (Ps. 40:11). “The goodness of God endureth continually” (Ps. 52:1). “Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever” (Ps. 138:8). “But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him” (Ps. 103:17).

David gives two interesting pictures of God’s lovingkindness. He states that it surrounds, like a mother’s loving arms or a hen’s protective wings. “Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about” (Ps. 32:10). He also says that God stacks it or dumps it on top of his head. “Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies” (Ps. 103:4).

With all of these attempts to describe the wonder of God’s lovingkindness, it is no wonder that David refers to it as precious and good. “How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings” (Ps. 36:7). “But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy name’s sake: because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me” (Ps. 109:21).

The previous two verses refer to God’s deliverance being a result of His lovingkindness, and this is an action that David focuses on. God’s repeated deliverance of David stemmed from His heart of abundant love that compassionately noticed David’s difficult situations. “Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies’ sake” (Ps. 6:4). “Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore” (Ps. 18:50). “For the king trusteth in the LORD, and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved” (Ps. 21:7). “Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies’ sake” (Ps. 31:16). “Blessed be the LORD: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city” (Ps. 31:21). “He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth” (Ps. 57:3). “The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies” (Ps. 59:10). “He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him” (Ps. 61:7). “For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell” (Ps. 86:13). “Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy” (Ps. 109:26). “And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant” (Ps. 143:12). The next verse summarizes many years of David’s life, revealing that God in His lovingkindness, did indeed deliver David time and time again. “And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand” (I Sam. 23:14).

God’s lovingkindness also caused Him to forgive David’s sins, as He looked on His frail servant who wanted to do right but sometimes failed. “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions” (Ps. 51:1). “Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O LORD” (Ps. 25:7). David threw himself on this compassion after he numbered the people. “And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man. And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand” (II Sam. 24:14,16).

Perfect love casts out fear, and David was able to rest and trust in God because of His lovingkindness. “But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation” (Ps. 13:5). “Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them” (Ps. 17:7). “I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever” (Ps. 52:8). “But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation. Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies” (Ps. 69:13,16). “Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust” (Ps. 143:8). “My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me” (Ps. 144:2).

Lovingkindness was an important part of the relationship between David and God. Because of it, God always did what was right. “Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work” (Ps. 62:12). Also because of it, David wanted to do what was right. “For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth” (Ps. 26:3).

Rightfully, David praised God for the abundant lovingkindness that was always with him, that delivered and sustained him. “I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities” (Ps. 31:7). “I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation” (Ps. 40:10). “I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble. Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy” (Ps. 59:16-17). “Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee” (Ps. 63:3). “I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing” (Ps. 101:1). “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness” (Ps. 138:2).

It is with great understanding and appreciation that David earnestly prays: “O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee: and thy righteousness to the upright in heart” (Ps. 36:10). He both needed it and expected it every day.

May you also richly experience and rejoice in the abundant, delivering lovingkindness of God!

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

09062025 Surely Goodness

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our good God! David was comforted by these words: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”

These two words giving characteristics of God are similar and can be translated in the same ways (kindness, goodness, favor), but goodness is a broader term, whereas mercy (lovingkindness) carries a more personal flavor. By my count, good/goodness occurs 16 times in David’s psalms, and lovingkindness occurs 50 times. In several cases, they are linked within the same verse. David talks about these characteristics so much that I am currently looking just at God’s goodness.

David viewed goodness as a fundamental characteristic of God. This goodness was sure to be observed by anyone who looked at God. “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him” (Ps. 34:8). This goodness was not a minor quality, but something that abounded in great quantities, readily available for God to pour it out on His children. “Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!” (Ps. 31:19). God’s goodness is neither hidden nor limited to just a few people, but is evident to all. “They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness. The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works” (Ps. 145:7,9).

David saw that God’s name was good, which allowed David to wait on God. “I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints” (Ps. 52:9).

David saw that God’s Spirit was good, as He led David with clarity and effectiveness. “Teach me to do thy will: for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness (Ps. 143:10).

David saw that God’s temple was good, and being there brought satisfaction. “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple” (Ps. 65:4).

David saw that God’s lovingkindness was good, resulting in good and kind responses from God. “But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy name’s sake: because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me” (Ps. 109:21).

David saw that God’s actions were good. God performed all the good promises that He had made to David. “And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel” (I Sam. 25:30). God did good things for His people and His city. “Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem” (Ps. 51:18). Because of His goodness, God taught His underserving people how to walk. “Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way” (Ps. 25:8). God thought favorable thoughts about His people and was willing to forgive them because He was good. “Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O LORD” (Ps. 25:7). “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee” (Ps. 86:5).

This good God gave good things. One of those good things was making David king, but He also gave other blessings. “For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head” (Ps. 21:3). God gives every good thing that His children need. “The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing” (Ps. 34:10). God continues to give good things throughout the believer’s life and strengthens him for what he must face. “Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Ps. 103:5).

At times, it was hope in God’s goodness that allowed David to carry on. There were moments when David did not see God’s goodness as clearly as at other times, but because God is unchangeably good, David always expected to see a renewal of God’s goodness. “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living” (Ps. 27:13).

We cannot underestimate the importance of having a good God. Many false deities throughout history have not been perceived as intrinsically good, and the adherents of those gods lived in fear, uncertainty, and despair. Our God is always good, always kind. He shows His favor by giving good things and by always doing the right thing – both now and for all the days of our lives.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

08312025 My Cup Overflows

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God who gives … and gives … and gives. David said, “My cup runneth over.” Both David’s writings and his experiences are filled with descriptions of God’s abundant blessings to him. David had sufficient so that he was well satisfied. “My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips” (Ps. 63:5). He was so filled by his life with God that he felt abundance that exceeded even pleasant circumstances. “Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and wine increased” (Ps. 4:7).

David recognized the abundance of God’s general provision. “Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness” (Ps. 65:9,11).

David was blessed with a stellar reputation. Even as a young man, he was viewed as “cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him” (I Sam. 16:18). “His name was much set by” (I Sam. 18:30). The public at large loved him. His advancement “was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants,” the women sang about him, and “all Israel and Judah loved David” (I Sam. 18:5,7,16).

At first David had great favor with the king. Saul “loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer. And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight’” (I Sam. 16:21-22). Saul praised David: “Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail” (I Sam. 26:25), and Saul twice offered his daughters as wives for David (I Sam. 18:17,23).

David was admired and given favors by other great men. Ahimelech the priest recognized and reinforced David’s high reputation. “And who is as faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king’s son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house?” (I Sam. 22:14). The king of Moab respected David enough to provide long-term housing and protection for David’s family (I Sam. 22:3-4). The king of Gath gave David one of his cities as a home and base of operations (I Sam. 27:6). After David became king, the king of Tyre supplied the materials and manpower to build David a palace (II Sam. 5:11).

David experienced abundance in his family. Although the plethora of wives and sons led to some challenges for David, there is no question that his cup was overflowing when it came to family. He had at least nineteen sons and one daughter that were born to his wives, and there were additional children born to his concubines (II Sam. 3:2-5; II Sam. 5:14-16; II Sam. 12:24; I Chr. 3:1-9; I Chr. 14:3-7). He had at least eight wives: Michal (estranged for a time – I Sam. 18:27); Abigail and Ahinoam (I Sam. 25:42-43); Maacah, Haggith, Abital, Eglah (II Sam. 3:2-5; I Chr. 3:1-3); more wives (II Sam. 5:13; I Chr. 14:3); Bathsheba (II Sam. 11:27).

David was abundantly blessed by God by being made king. God gave David the amazing position of rule over “the house of Israel and Judah” (II Sam. 12:8). God gave David the Davidic covenant, promising his line would always reign and that David would be greatly blessed by God (II Sam. 7:8-21; I Chr. 17:3-27). David acknowledged his wonder at God’s blessing, as God “promised this goodness unto thy servant: now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be before thee for ever: for thou blessest, O LORD, and it shall be blessed for ever” (I Chr. 17:26-27). David saw the next step of that covenant when he watched Solomon take over through a peaceful transition. “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it” (I Kings 1:48). David’s testimony continues: “The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage” (Ps. 16:5-6).

David experienced great abundance, not just because he was king, but in how his reign was blessed by God. David acknowledged “the honor of thy servant” by God and that He had “done all this greatness” (I Chr. 17:18,19). As king, “David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him” (II Sam. 5:10; I Chr. 11:9). His approval rating was astronomical: “whatsoever the king did pleased all the people” (II Sam. 3:36). Eventually, “the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies” (II Sam. 7:1,11). “David gat him a name” as he expanded his kingdom by conquering the Philistines, Moab, Zobah, the Arameans, Ammon, and Edom (II Sam. 8:1,2,3,5,7,10,13; II Sam. 10:18-19; II Sam 12:30; I Chr. 18:1-13). David gained territory, cities, and strongholds.

David’s success as king extended beyond military advancement to the accrual of great wealth. In the midst of his advances, he gained servants, tribute, chariots, horses, shields of gold, and large amounts of bronze, silver, and gold (II Sam. 8:1,2,3,5,7,10; II Sam 12:30). After one victory before he was even king, David recovered enough spoils that he was able to share them with at least fifteen cities (I Sam. 30:26-31). He acquired enough riches that he was able to provide the gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, onyx, precious stones, and alabaster for the temple. In addition to the provisions specifically for the temple, he also gave 3,000 talents of gold and 7,000 talents of silver (I Chr. 29:2-5). Although David was probably not referring exclusively to material wealth, he could truly say, “I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me” (Ps. 13:6). “Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness” (Ps. 21:2-3a),

David experienced abundance in his relationships. Perhaps foremost was the deep and fervent friendship of a loyal friend. “The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul” (I Sam. 18:1). David had his mighty men to serve him – three exceptional men, among thirty chief men, and a total of thirty-seven superb individuals (II Sam. 23:8-39; I Chr. 11:10-12,26-47). Additionally, David had warriors, “mighty men of valour” who came to him and fought with him. I count over 340,000 soldiers, with some from every tribe, who supported David as he came to be king (I Chr. 12:1-38). “For at that time day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host, like the host of God” (v. 22). David had the blessing of some very faithful advisors: Zadok the priest, Benaiah, and Nathan the prophet. These men, along with the mighty men, stood by David at key moments and through the worst of times (I Kings 1:8).

Finally, David’s cup overflowed in his long and rich life. David foresaw, “Thou wilt prolong the king’s life: and his years as many generations” (Ps. 61:6). And so it happened. “And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour” (I Chr. 29:28).

David had the right response to such abundance. He both anticipated and rendered praise to God for His rich blessings. “Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about, for thou shalt deal bountifully with me” (Ps. 142:7). “I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude” (Ps. 109:30). David summed up his entire life of abundance with this great challenge to himself: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Ps. 103:2). It is interesting that Psalm 103 focuses not primarily on the physical blessings explored by most of this study, but on the rich spiritual blessings that are even more incredible. David speaks of God’s forgiveness, healing, preservation of life, lovingkindness, tender mercies, strength, righteous judgments, knowledge of Himself, mercy, grace, longsuffering, compassion, righteousness, and sovereignty. If none of the material blessings had ever happened, David’s cup would have been overflowing just with these spiritual blessings.

David was not alone. God shows such blessings to all His people. “Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD” (Ps. 144:15). “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him” (Ps. 34:8).

With all David’s trials, I would probably not think to categorize his life as one of abundant blessing, but the great list in this study proves it to be so. Likewise, in my own life, it can be easy to focus on the trials, the suffering, and the negatives – to think about what God has NOT given. But, like David, when I stop to list out and consider all the good things He HAS done and HAS given, my list is long indeed. My cup is overflowing, and all I need to do is take time to count my blessings, name them one by one. And it will surprise me what the Lord has done!

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

08232025 You Have Anointed My Head with Oil

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God who places people where He wants them to be. David acknowledged, “Thou anointest my head with oil.”

I have read that the meaning and translation may be best represented with the present perfect (have anointed) rather than the present tense (anointest). This would further clarify this reference to David being anointed as king. I think because of some of the passages in the New Testament, we tend to think of anointing with oil as a sign of refreshment or hospitality. I did a quick perusal of Old Testament passages that refer to anointing with oil. They refer almost exclusively to consecration – of priests, kings, or the tabernacle. I found two references to medicinal use and two to cosmetic use. Overwhelmingly, the Old Testament use of anointing with oil was for someone set apart for a very special task, as David was as king. I believe this phrase from Psalm 23 is David’s reflection on God’s choosing him for service.

David was very aware that it was God who had chosen him for his position. “But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head” (Ps. 3:3). In a few other psalms, David also speaks of God lifting him into his position as king and of raising him up in victory over his enemies. “Thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head. … Honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him” (Ps. 21:3b,5b). “Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me” (Ps. 18:43). “And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy” (Ps. 27:6).

The biblical narratives describe this. In fact, David was anointed three times: once as a young man by Samuel, once over Judah, and once over all Israel. “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward” (I Sam. 16:13). “And the men of Judah came, and there [Hebron] they anointed David king over the house of Judah” (II Sam. 2:4). “Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel. So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel. … And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake” (II Sam. 5:2-3,12; II Chr. 11:2-3).

The anointing ceremonies were just the beginning. It wasn’t enough just to be placed into his position, but David had to live out that service for forty years. There was no turning away from where God had placed him. “David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah” (II Sam. 5:4-5; I Kings 2:11).

God chose David for service because of his heart toward God; in contrast, Saul was rejected because he did not maintain such a heart. “And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbor, even to David” (I Sam. 28:17). “And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel” (II Sam. 6:21). “And [Saul] enquired not of the Lord: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse” (I Chr. 10:14).

David’s rise to power was gradual. Although God chose him early on, the working out of that plan took place over time. “Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker” (II Sam. 3:1).

David’s position was clearly by God’s design. David could not have put himself in such a position. Neither could he have made himself successful in his position. Both the designation as king and the success as king were directly because of God’s blessing. God put him there, and God helped him along the way. “Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: and I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. … and thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever” (II Sam 7:8-9,16; I Chr. 17:7). “And David perceived that the LORD had confirmed him king over Israel, for his kingdom was lifted up on high, because of his people Israel. … And the fame of David went out into all the lands; and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations” (I Chr. 14:2,17). (II Sam. 3:17-18).

David’s position as king carried a responsibility and expectation. David’s sin with Bathsheba was a glaring violation of that divine expectation. In this situation, David did not act kingly and did not demonstrate a right response in light of all that God had done for him. “And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; and I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things” (II Sam 12:7-8).

God’s plan extended beyond David himself. God chose David’s line to continue as the kings of Israel. The impact of David’s legacy continued long after David was gone. “Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said … Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow” (II Sam. 23:1,5). “Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel” (I Chr. 28:4).

David had a sense of humility, both about being king and about the long-term legacy. After God gave the Davidic covenant, David expressed his wonder at this amazing blessing of God. “And David the king came and sat before the LORD, and said, Who am I, O LORD God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant’s house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O LORD God” (I Chr. 17:16-17).

Finally, David is not the only one God has chosen for service. David recognized this to be true of the followers of God. God consecrates men to Himself and places them in His chosen places of service. “But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto Him” (Ps. 4:3). “For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet” (Ps. 8:5-6).

From beginning to end, David’s anointing for service was all of God. God called him, God brought it about, God developed and prospered it, God strengthened him for it, and God was faithful to keep every promise regarding it.

I trust these meditations regarding David’s divinely established service will encourage you as you consider the place to which God has called you. He is faithful!

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

08162025 You Prepare a Table in the Presence of My Enemies

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God who provides, both in good times and in bad times. David records: “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.”

In previous phrases David has said that he does not lack and has spoken of God’s rich pastures. What makes this verse different is the presence of the enemies. It seems David wants to emphasize that his Shepherd’s ability to provide is not hampered by adverse circumstances. Even in dangerous and threatening times, God feeds His children, spreading before them a table of provision. This implies a sense of calm and normalcy even in the midst of the crisis, as he is able to sit down to a table.

David declares that even in times of affliction, the righteous will have sufficient food, enough to satisfy. “The meek [afflicted] shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him. Your heart shall live for ever” (Ps. 22:26). A time of evil or famine does not prevent God from fully caring for His children. “They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied” (Ps. 37:19).

David wasn’t just making up something that sounded good. No, he had seen God work this out multiple times during his life. Perhaps the first time was when he was fleeing from Saul after Jonathan’s warning. As David fled with no prior notice and with just the clothes on his back, he arrived at Nob desperate for food. He received the best bread imaginable. “So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away” (I Sam. 21:6).

Later, David and his men were hungry in the desert. After Nabal refused to give anything to David, David was on the brink of performing a massacre. “Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses” (I Sam. 25:18). God not only prevented the carnage, but also supplied a feast.

David was caught in a great civil war, as Absalom gained popularity and sought to overthrow his father. After narrowly escaping an ambush, David and his men were still on the run and in need of food. “And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi, … Machir, … and Barzillai … brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse, and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness” (II Sam. 17:27-29). Through these three men, God provided an abundance of food and supplies.

When David was in the midst of conflict with the Philistines, he had a yearning for his city of Bethlehem, thinking nostalgically of the well there. In this situation of great risk, three of David’s men delivered one of the most precious drinks of water ever provided. “And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out to the LORD” (II Sam. 23:16).

When David was at Hebron, still in danger from Saul and his army, he reached a point of growing support from those who were ready to make David king. At this time of transition, God provided an abundance of food. “And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking: for their brethren had prepared for them. Moreover they that were nigh them, even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, and meat, meal, cakes of figs, and bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly: for there was joy in Israel” (I Chr. 12:39-40).

David knew the generosity of God’s provision, even in times of great danger and adversity. Even then, God never abandoned him but continued to provide all that David needed.

God’s hand is not short, and His resources never run out. May He provide for you all that you need this week.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

08102025 Your Rod and Staff Comfort

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our comforting God. David recognized this truth, as he wrote, “Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

God cares about comforting His people. He is the kind of God who ministers to the soul, who bolsters and upholds it. David recognized God’s personal interest in his life and His habitual practice of providing comfort. “When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble” (Ps. 9:12). “Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me” (Ps. 86:17). “Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?” (Ps. 56:8).

While God is able to provide comfort through various means, it seems to be pretty widely acknowledged that the rod and staff, instruments of guidance and correction, refer to the Bible. For sure, the inspired and sufficient words of Scripture have always been a profound source of comfort to God’s people. David recognized the goodness of God in His instruction and leading. “Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way” (Ps. 25:8-9).

Of course, David did not possess much of the Bible, but what he did possess, he held in high esteem. He knew the power of God’s words, that they were able to comfort and lift the spirit, providing much joy and pleasure, even as they instructed, guided, and corrected. “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statures of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward” (Ps. 19:7-11).

Yes, God is a Comforter, and His Word is a comfort. As He uses His Word to nudge us in the right direction and keep us on the right path, we can be comforted that we are His sheep for whom He cares very much. Because of His love, it matters to Him that we walk the right path, allowing us to fully enjoy His presence and blessing.

May God give you special blessings this week from His Word and may He comfort you wherever that is needed.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

08032025 You Are With Me

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our ever-present God. David’s reason for not fearing death was because of God’s presence, but the impact of God’s presence with him was profound. “For thou art with me.”

This is a fundamental truth of Christianity. Sadly, it is one that believers often struggle with or forget during difficult times. David firmly believed this truth, and it was an anchor for his life. David recognized that God was with all His children. “There were they in great fear: for God is in [with] the generation of the righteous” (Ps. 14:5). “The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth” (Ps. 145:18). The same cannot be said of people, who will sometimes forsake or be unavailable. Even if no one else is with the believer, God never forsakes him. “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up” (Ps. 27:10). “For thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee” (Ps. 9:10b).

David offers a great masterpiece in talking about God’s presence with him – in every place and at every time. “Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light around me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee” (Ps. 139:5,7-12).

David shares several implications of God’s constant presence. One result is that a God who is with him can rescue him from trouble, danger, or death. “For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard” (Ps. 22:24). “For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul” (Ps. 109:31). Many examples were shared in the previous study, but here is another from David’s life. “So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, or knew it, neither awakened: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them” (I Sam. 26:12). God was with David, and He put the enemies to sleep.

A second result of God’s presence is internal stability and peace. God’s presence is why David did not fear. “I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved” (Ps. 16:8). “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness” (Ps. 17:15).

A third result of God’s presence is promotion or position. David ended up where he was only because God was with him. “But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head” (Ps. 3:3). This was true from the very beginning, when David was first introduced to the palace, and one of Saul’s servants recommended David as a musician. “Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him” (I Sam. 16:18). It was true of David’s advancement in position, after he became king. “And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him” (II Sam. 5:10, I Chr. 11:9). God declared this truth when He made His covenant with David. “And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the names of the great men that are in the earth” (II Sam. 7:9, I Chr. 17:8).

A fourth result of God’s presence is prospering and success. It was God’s constant presence that enabled David to accomplish all that he did. This was true in the time before his marriage when David was serving Saul. “And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him” (I Sam. 18:14). It was true when he was staying in Gath and going out on raids against Israel’s enemies. “David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish” (I Sam. 27:9). It was true after Ziklag was taken and David went in pursuit. “And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives” (I Sam. 30:18). It was true after David became king. “Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought gifts. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went. … And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became David’s servants. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went” (II Sam. 8:6,14; II Chr. 18:6,13). Only some of the stories overtly state that God was with David, but they all imply it. There is no other explanation.

From beginning to end, God’s presence makes all the difference. May you find great comfort in His constant presence, and may God through His presence give you much help and blessing.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA