Fear not!
"But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me" (NIV) Psalm 49:15
Admonitions, encouragement, exhortations are some of the ways preachers help believers to cope with some of the challenges that confront them. No doubt, the world in which we live is full of such unpleasant occurrences and each of us has his own fair share of such experiences. What separates a winner from a looser in this bumpy road of life is attitude.
As we face the reality of oppressions, difficulties and the huge gaps between the rich and the poor, there is often the tendency for some Christians to become depressed and discouraged. In the earlier verses, the psalmist addresses the rich and reveals their follies especially when they neglect the knowledge and fear of God. The consolation for believers is the realization that the calamities that befall people without God and knowledge of salvation will not be the experience. No matter the various fearful events happening around us, as long as we belong to God and maintain good standing with Him, there is nothing to fear. This is the crux of the psalmist’s submission.
The psalmist goes further to encourage believers never to allow the prosperity of the rich to cause any fear or distraction since their end is hopeless. A true believer has a glorious end when his days on earth are over. But until that happens, no untimely death can tamper with the precious souls of true believers. No matter the distractions, the allurements or the intimidation from the enemies of our souls, we have a God who watches over us daily. He is a very present help in trouble, the One who never sleeps nor slumber.
Our own duty is to be faithful to Him, love and serve Him and put our confidence in Him. He never disappoints for as long as we remain faithful to Him. Keep looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith and you will always sail through the storms of life.
If you keep your eyes on the ball, you will never miss the goal.