"In the day of trouble, He will keep me safe"

Many years ago, my parents and I were members of a Baptist church.  I looked forward to going to this church because I knew the pastor was going to have a dynamic sermon ready; and I knew he was going to preach it with passion, eloquence, and clarity.  But it wasn’t that this pastor was a gifted communicator that made him special.  Nor was it that he was a snappy dresser decked out in immaculate, well-tailored suits.  The thing that made him special was his character, integrity, and transparency.

For instance, I had never heard a pastor speak of how inadequate he felt to do what God had called him to do.  He often said without the power and enabling of God, he would never be able to fulfill his life mission.  For seven years, I sat under the teaching of this man of God.  But then, like a thief in the night, this pastor was surprisingly killed in a car accident.  A few days back – July 25 to be exact – marks the eighteenth anniversary of when this bittersweet episode occurred.  It was 2002 when Pastor Rick Ferguson went home to be with the Lord.

Some people are reading this and you are thinking, “OK, so a pastor died years ago.  I understand that it’s a part of your life story; and I understand that it’s the anniversary of that event.  But so what?  What relevance does the passing of a pastor from the past have for me today?”  I have two important answers for that question.

#1: The storms of life can pummel us, but God is a mighty stronghold

I’ve been a Christian since I was a boy, and one of the things I’ve learned is the storms of life arise and mercilessly pummel you.  In 2002, a church congregation was plunged into a storm: the unexpected passing of a pastor.  In 2020, the world has been plunged into a storm: the unexpected outbreak of covid-19.  Jesus said to His closest followers, “In this world, you will have tribulation” (John 16:33).  He didn’t promise that His followers would be famous, rich, and free of problems; to the contrary, He promised them tribulation and suffering.

Further, the Bible tells us that God is a mighty stronghold.  At church on Sunday, Psalm 27 was quoted.  I love the certainty of verse 1: “The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?”  Verse 5 also caught my attention: “For in the day of trouble, He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle.”  There are other strongholds, to be sure.  In fact, the word itself often has a negative connotation.  But the truth is, nothing provides the safety, comfort, rest, security, and satisfaction found in God!

#2: Even in the chaos, God is in control

The Bible tells us over and over that God is in control.  For instance, Ephesians 1 says that God “works all things according to the counsel of His will” (verse 11).  He wasn’t surprised by a car accident in 2002 that turned a church congregation’s world upside-down (see Psalm 139:16).  And the covid-19 pandemic didn’t somehow thwart God’s plans in 2020.  There is mystery in this, of course; our finite brains can’t grasp it, but I put my trust in God’s sovereign will.

In conclusion, I recently learned that Rebecca St. James, one of my heroes, released music for the first time since 2011.  In the midst of all of this chaos, this is an amazing gift!  One of her songs – from her new album called “Dawn” – is entitled, “The Battle is the Lord’s” it begins with these words: “Why so heavy, oh my soul?  Did you forget who’s in control?  If He calls the wind and waves to still, He holds you now and always will.”

Kevin