Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. Psalm 55:22 NIV
One of the many reasons I am totally sold out for the Lord is because of His sustaining power. By His power, the Lord secures my life, makes sure I stay employed, provides my daily needs, and keeps me from the snares of the enemy. If it had not been for the Lord on my side, I would have been dead and in the pits of hell a long time ago. God keeps me in His secret place and away from the claws of the devil who is ever ready to pounce on me and my family.
When I gave my life to Christ, I surrendered all control to the Lord. God has since activated His executive oversight over my life and using His sustaining power to help me finish my Christian journey. His sustaining power assures me victory against powers and principalities. It enables me to thrive under pressure and walk in victory despite the battle.
In today’s text, the Psalmist exhorts believers to cast their cares on the Lord. The word “cares” can be defined as anxieties, worries, concerns, or burdens. The Psalm describes a time of rebellion against David led by someone he trusted as a friend. Despite the betrayal, David has learned to turn his burdens to the Lord to carry when his strength fails him.
Believers must trust God when faced with burdens they cannot carry. We are to take these burdens to the Lord in prayer and leave them at His altar. God’s sustaining power will give us peace as He fights our battles. We will delight in His unfailing love as He delivers us from the snares of our enemies.
God’s sustaining power gives us confidence and boldness in dealing with the vicissitudes of life. It empowers us to remain steadfast when the stormy clouds of life try to overshadow our joy and rob us of the joy of our salvation. It is God’s sustaining power that has kept us from the destruction of Covid. Despite the viciousness of that virus, God has provided relief through the science community, thus we can carry on with our daily living while the pandemic continues to rage like an uncontrollable fire.
Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has started to warn people against the Monkey Pox Virus. We don’t know what’s next. What I do know is that God’s sustaining power will navigate us through the different scourges we may face. I trust God to protect us from dangers seen or unseen and from diseases known and unknown. I am confident it is not the vaccine from Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson that is protecting us from Covid. God is using those organizations as part of His plan to protect us. But given the limited effectiveness of these vaccines, ultimately, it is God Himself who is sustaining us by His power.
When the economy struggles and talks about recession hijack our attention, we should trust God to supply all our needs according to His sustaining power. While the war in Ukraine is causing significant disruption in the price of gasoline and the food supply of the world, we have to trust in God’s sustaining power to bring order in chaos, peace in conflict and hope to those who are caught in the thick of a hopeless situation.
The Psalmist says the Lord will never let the righteous be shaken. “David had hope and confidence because he was persuaded that his fate did not rest in the hands of treacherous men. God was still Lord over all, and God had the final word on whether the righteous would be moved or not.” God has the final word on what happens to you and me. Nothing will befall us without God’s permissive will. And anything that happens to us will work for our good because of God’s sustaining power.
Questions for Personal Reflection
How has your confidence in God helped you manage your struggles in life?
What do you do when you face an overwhelming challenge?
Prayer- Blessed Lord, I thank you for your sustaining power. When faced with an overwhelming challenge, please remind me that you are Lord over all, and have the final word on what happens to me. May my faith not be shaken when the stormy cloud of life blows in my life.