Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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TRUST IN THE LORD IN ALL SITUATIONS
Psalms 31
Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress;
   my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
  my soul and body with grief.
Stress is inherent in every human being. When life is very difficult we have anxiety. It is not possible for one to do without stress in the contemporary world. Today people encounter stress related to family,
finance, work, health, children, relationship and the like. Although stress is beneficial to man, its negative effects are also enormous.

In Psalms 31, we can see King David as a person with huge stress. The reason for his trouble is not known. David's problems made him a man of sorrows. It made David so ill that he thought that he was going to die. But David still trusted in the LORD. Psalms 31 is a prayer of help in such a situation. The most prominent feature of this Psalm is David's dependence on God and this teaches us about trusting God.

Trusting in God is proclaiming and embodying the reign of God in word and deed. It is an act of self surrender to God. Ps. 31: 5 (a) says, 'into your hands I commit my spirit'. This is the most direct expression of dependence on God. This was also quoted by Jesus on the Cross (Lk 23: 46). The word 'spirit' can also mean 'breath', and it is virtually synonymous with 'life'. Therefore Psalmist says, I put my life in your hand' or 'I turn my life over to you'. David's confidence here is not a self-confidence, but it is grounded in God's activity of redemption and Character of faithfulness. Trust in God is the absolute remedy in times of our stress. The time of life is in God's hands, to lengthen or shorten, make bitter or sweet, according to the counsel of His will.

God’s provisions are sufficient for all circumstances: As a Church we are going to celebrate September 16 as Senior Citizen's Day. This is a time to honor the elderly people in our community. During the Old age the chances of anxiety and insecurity will be high because of reasons like illness, loneliness, less mobility and lack of adequate care and support. These are the realities of life and many are facing it today. But any of these things should not lead us to disbelief or discouraging circumstances. Our ultimate dependence is on God Almighty. The provisions God makes for us are sufficient in all circumstances. He will increase our faith, patience, love and gratitude and teach us to rejoice in tribulation and distress. In youth and health, in maturity and prosperity, in old age and its infirmities, we should trust in the Lord.

Prayer: Gracious Lord, teach us to put our trust in you in all circumstances. We surrender ourselves to you to be guided by your will. Your grace and your love are wealth enough for us. In Jesus' name we pray- Amen

Rev. K. E. Geevarghese, New York (Diocesan Secretary)

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