Psalm 27:13-14: I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
The setting: David is in trouble: wicked assailants, enemies, war.
His response: Psalm 27:8: I will seek the face of the Lord.
His conclusion: I can wait with hope.
Meanings:
“Still confident”: aman—believe, hold up, build up or support, render firm
“Wait”: qavah—to bind together, to expect, to look for patiently, to wait for or on or upon
“Be strong”: chazaq—fasten on, seize, bind, confirm, conquer, be courageous
“Take heart”: lev—emotions plus will and intellect—total inner being.
What David is saying:
There is trouble all around me. Enemies desire to destroy me. But I seek the Lord. And He meets me and rescues me.
Therefore I am confident that my belief/trust in God is firm. I am connected to Him. I can believe that I will see God’s goodness in the land of the living as well as in heaven.
So I can wait with hope. I can in my heart bind together the difficult present with a hopeful future (in this world) of God’s involvement and goodness. I can live in light of God.
I will therefore be strong. I will seize and fasten on God and who He is. I will take heart and will bring my emotions, intellect and will under His loving sovereignty.
I will eagerly anticipate what God will do. I will wait with hope.
And therefore we can say:
Lord, you know the pain I am experiencing because of the choices ______ has made. You know I want to trust and have hope, but I often am filled with hurt and fear and anger and even despair and hopelessness. But I will seek You and You will meet me and rescue me.
Therefore I am confident in You. I will stay connected to You and will choose to believe that I will see your goodness in the life of my loved one.
So I can/will wait with hope. I will in my heart bind together this difficult present with that hopeful future of your involvement and goodness. I choose to live in light of who You are.
I will therefore be strong and take courage. I know what You are like—You are God and You are good. I choose to seize that truth and believe You will bring my emotions into confident trust and rest in You.
I will eagerly anticipate what You will do. I will wait with hope.
Amen.
by Judy Douglass
used be permission
Judy Douglass – As the wife of Steve Douglass, the President of Campus Crusade for Christ Int’l, Judy has become a leader among women. Although she is more comfortable reading a book with her bare feet propped up in her den Judy says “My main job is the care of our staff members,” says Judy, “to encourage them and be an advocate for them.”
As a gifted writer Judy had earlier become the founding editor of the Worldwide Challenge magazine and she is also a gifted speaker.
http://www.worldwidechallenge.org/