Psalm 119:113-120 God supports us with His Word

Psalm 119:114 “You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.”
Psalm 119:116 “Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live, and let me not be put to shame in my hope!”

Its world cup season! The entire world has gone bonkers over this simplistic sport played by 22 men arguing over a ball. Don't get me wrong, I quite enjoy watching football (soccer in the United States) but sometimes it seems a bit silly. After all there are things that need doing, causes to crusade for, injustices to right – that sort of thing. Yet played out on the world stage, football can teach us things. It is a team sport and you need the other players. Every team this year that has relied primarily on one person to carry the game has lost. That one person's strength does not matter in the long run. His team needs to help bear the load. The team that passes the ball more frequently and with more skill will usually always win. We need to know who we can pass to, who can carry on when we get tired and beset with problems, we need to know who has our back, who can support us when we fall, get tripped up, fouled, injured, etc. We are not alone.

Now comparing God to a international soccer team is also a bit silly. The analogy can only go so far. You see, God is more than just our team, He is our coach, our water-boy, and our referee. We have quite the unfair advantage. We still can not do it entirely on our own though. God's word is a shield. In fact, thats what the Hebrew letter this section of the 119th Psalm is based on looks like – a shield. It connotes aid and support. God is not only our strength (in the first section), our weapon (the 6th section), he is also our support, our crutch, our aid, our protection. It is through His support, through the Word of God that we are able to withstand all attacks of Satan. Paul references this section when he writes in Ephesian 6:16 about wearing the Shield of Faith. It is through our faith and trust in the promises of God, in His mighty and living Word that we find ourselves able and capable of extinguishing “the flaming darts of the evil one.” Because of His support we find ourselves whole and fruitful (one of the ideas behind the 9th octonary).

This week, lets make an emphasis to lean more on God's word, to observe and watch how it supports us and to live more fully supported by the Word than by our own efforts. If you are anything like me this is something that you have trouble with, but by the grace of God we can and will let go of our own strength and trust His more.

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.