Intro:
Today we are be looking at Psalm 91:1
What comes to mind when you think of 911? Maybe its rescue, deliverance, safety or maybe a cheesy television show, from the 90s. Possibly your mind harks back to Sept 11 2001 or 911. You would be right if these things came to your mind. However, today we are talking about the deliverance and salvation work through this particular Psalm 911.
I am reminded of when I was a child and 911 was the newest thing in the news. This was a very long time ago I must of been three maybe four. And I lost my cat a tomcat who loved to stay out late. However, since I did not have very many friends in the apartment complex he was my closest companion. There was a pay phone which I put I put in, I think it was two pennies. Of course it jammed the pay phone and I called 911.
The operator picked up and said 911 what’s your emergency. I expressed my feelings of losing my cat and how much I needed help finding him. About five minutes past and a police officer came to where the pay phone was. He asked me were my parents were and what my cat looked like. After finding my parents we looked around for my cat. We soon found him and I was ecstatic as much as a four year old could be.
Psalm 91 is a wonderful example of how God will protect you and keep you safe no matter how large or how small the difficulty might be. Much like 911 is when we need recued Psalm 91 show’s us God’s plan. It is almost like the ultimate insurance plan for the here, now, and forever. However, to really be vested in God’s great insurance plan we must remember to trust him.
- Trust
Trust is not something that comes natural to human behavior. Our world is a world that wants to know how everything works and explain everything in its own simplified theory. However, God is something that cannot be boxed up, or put on a piece of paper. When we put our trust in God, we are protected better than the best insurance policy.
I am reminded of the simple camp illustration of the mountain climber on the mountain who lost a stroke. Along comes God to say jump and I’ll catch YOU. The man is very hesitant but after some persuading from God makes the ultimate plunge and trust.
I remember a time in my life when I had to put my trust in another individual. Every year when I was in the Army I was called upon to fight forest fires. One particular year I was asked to be crew chief on a Chinook helicopter. Chinook are probably one of the most dangerous aircraft to fly or to be a passenger on.
My job was very simple look to see if the bucket was not stuck with an trees in it in the hellhole, which is the center of the aircraft. As soon as we were about ready to drop the bucket I had to run to the jump door, which is the aft of the aircraft. I looked out the back to see if we were successful or not. The only protection I had from falling out of the aircraft was about an inch and a half by 20 feet long jump cord.
I had to put my trust in the pilot’s as all around me all I saw was fire on the ground. The smell of suit and smoke surrounded me. I was completely hopeless to my situation. Sure I could have told the pilot where to go but I did not have any direct control of where we were going.
This is what our lives are like. God is the pilot who is controlling us and we’ll never really know what our destination is.
The God who saved us from hell and death can protect us from the smaller dangers we face. Only if we trust in him. That is exactly what the psalmist was saying when he wrote in verse two 2 Say this: “God, you’re my refuge. I trust in you and I’m safe!”
If you put your trust in God, you will be safe but you first must trust. Trust Him for the large things in your life as well as small hurdles that might come your way. It all comes down to a matter of trust. Psalm 91 also reminds us that if we trust we will have triumph over our problems.
- Triumph
9 Yes, because God’s your refuge, the High God your very own home, 10 Evil can’t get close to you, harm can’t get through the door. 11 He ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go. 12 If you stumble, they’ll catch you; their job is to keep you from falling.
If you look up triumph in the dictionary, you will find the following definitions. To gain mastery; prevail: to triumph over fear. The person that puts their life in God’s hands is someone who will prevail over anything. Be it in this world or the next world to come.
At the same time he must be rejoicing for conquering of fowls.
I had a really good friend whose name was Darryl. Darryl loved to mountain climb he would spend three months in Tibet or two weeks in Vietnam. This guy was totally enamored by mountain climbing.
One time we were having a conversation about what happens when you get to the summit. He mentioned that absolutely nothing happened and that the real joy was coming down off the mountain. He knew that he was safe so he gave triumph to God for conquering the great obstacle.
I am reminded of a great triumph in my life. My stepfather was quite an academic man. He could quote almost any law journal that was ever written. He ended up coming down with cancer. My corps feverishly prayed for his well keeping. He steadily got sick over the course of three months. Nevertheless, we continued to keep him in prayer and asked that he would be saved from the cancer.
As things got worse, he was put in hospice and we knew his time was coming short. I can remember sitting beside my stepfather’s bed and asking him as his breathing was becoming harder if he had a relationship with Jesus. I was able to minister to him in his last few hours and he accepted Jesus Christ as his savior. I can remember walking home from the hospital. As I got closer to home my mother came to me and told me that my stepfather passed away.
At the time, I thought that this was tragic and how much I was going to miss my stepfather. However, in hindsight God was able to save him, using my visit, from eternal hell and that was a great triumph. There is a wonderful chorus song, that I love to sing, “Give to Jesus glory, give to Jesus glory; proclaim redemption’s wondrous plan and give to Jesus glory.” This was one of those moments for least I know my stepfather was safe and heaven.
Triumph bears witness to God’s great love for his people. At the same time we must be able to show gratitude to him. We must first be able to surrender and trust in God. Then we will have triumph over our adversities.
Conclusion:
Its says in
Psalms 91:14-15 (NIV)
14 “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
The psalmist here is talking much like a relationship. Our trust naturally becomes love to God. We have to speak our hearts desires to God for him to understand what we really want. It boils down to one simple word and it is surrender. When we trust we must surrender for there is no other way to have triumph over our problems.
I invite you dear friends to lay down your burdens. Maybe it is the forest fires in your soul that are causing you hurt. Concerns about family members or maybe some other 911 difficulty. It is only through surrender in reliance upon God that we are able to fully triumph over our situation. Do you need to call 911 today?
