Dread
“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread? Psalm 27:1
Dread – Concrete cracking. Windows fluttering. Furniture dancing. Lights swinging. If you have ever been in an earthquake, you know exactly what I am talking about. Everything trembles.
That is the meaning of the Hebrew word pachad. Shake, rattle and roll. Often this word is translated as fear or be afraid. But it is much stronger than that. It is trembling in front of an enemy who is about to strike you down. It is real, external terror. Hide under the table, the roof is about to fall in!
I’ve been in several earthquakes, not by choice, of course. They are terrible things. You have no idea what is going to happen next. If an earthquake lasts more than a few seconds, things start coming apart. Then panic hits. Adrenaline pumps. Hearts race. And everyone is suddenly looking for a way out.
But David is the voice of calm in the midst of life’s earthquakes. Wait, he says, you are in the fortress of the Lord. It is built on the solid foundation of His faithfulness and love. Nothing will topple it. So, be at peace. Even if the entire world is shaking around you, God’s house will not fall. We only need to add one thought from the New Testament to complete the picture. You are the temple of the Holy Spirit. God’s house is where you are.
Life is full of earthquakes. Most of them never register on the Richter scale. They are the personal upheavals. But there is nothing to tremble about, says David. If God is your source (light) and your freedom (salvation) and your defense (fortress), then you are safely at home with Him. The next time you see the needles begin to jump up and down on your personal seismograph, look to see if you are standing in His house. The floor isn’t moving there.
Today’s Action Item: I will re-examine one trembling part of my life and put it in God’s hands just for today (if I want it back, I will wait until tomorrow before I let it shake me again.
