ODJ: knowing God’s power

April 17, 2015 

READ: Psalm 27:1-14 

Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident (v.3).

My first—and very brief—job after university was with an after-school mentoring programme that trained children in woodworking. When I was asked during the interview if I could teach woodworking, I responded in the affirmative: “Sure!” How hard can it be? I thought to myself. But I had never worked with wood. So when I attempted my first project and mangled a piece of fine wood with a belt sander, my boss took one look at it and fired me on the spot! Clearly, I had no idea what I was talking about.

King David knew what he was talking about when he wrote Psalm 27. He wrote that even though an army surrounded him, he wouldn’t be afraid (v.3). We might think that this was nothing more than a hyperbolic boast on David’s behalf, but it wasn’t. In 1 Samuel 23 we read how Saul had besieged David and his men, intent on killing them. So when David said that he found courage in God while being surrounded by an army, he really meant it!

And this isn’t the only example in God’s Word. When the apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:11 that he had learned how to be content in every situation, he didn’t state this merely for effect. He had been stoned and imprisoned, shipwrecked and bitten by a snake, and still experienced peace in Jesus. And when Christ said in Matthew 19:26 that all things are possible with God, He knew what He was talking about, for through the power of God Jesus was raised from the dead after He had been crucified and then buried for three days!

—Peter Chin

365-day-plan: 1 Kings 12:1-24