Chickens of Depression
Psalm 121:4-7
Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
My, I don't know about you but that man, Jacob, must have needed a lot of help. For here it says that the Lord watched him constantly. Keeping someone safe from themselves must be an almost constant task. If you recall Jacob also had a lot of children, twelve of them in fact. So, he also worked fourteen years for one wife at the hands of a trickish father-in-law. He ended up with two feuding women in one house vying for who is best. He had many relatives from which to fear due to what he had done to his brother, also. Have some of you ever had to watch a loved one constantly to ensure their safety. We see sort of the same picture here. So, you and I today need a lot of help. It is a big bad world in which to live and sometimes life has a way of making you feel all too small. In such trouble and striving, it seems that nobody can keep you quite like Jesus. How many of you know that he is capable of keeping Ishmael and his children too. So also, does he watch over Esau. I know, such is not a popular view. But God is not in the habit of playing either favorites or games as some are wont to do. It seems no matter where you go nor yet who you are, there is safety to be found with God.
The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
When you need someone to remind you of your place in him, look no further than Jesus. Is he not the best shade-keeper that I know. Some of us when we hear the word shade think about a nice cool place under which to rest from the heat of the day. Much like the righteous man planted by the rivers of water, some of us need a little shelter from the trials of this life. So also, the flock of God as in Psalm 23 need cool sheltered places in which to rest. Such are necessary to preserve life. Contrary to popular belief, God is not a big mean man out to get you. Nor is he a silent warrior watching your demise. Here God is seen as both the shade keeper and the shade thrower. When you need someone to remind you of yourself, there is none better. Do not worry, he does not mind reminding you of your frame, your name, nor yet your game one bit. He remembers we are but dust. How nice it is to have someone in your corner who knows when you do wrong nor does he mind telling you about it. So here he promises to be your comfort and your advisor all at the same time. My friends, it does not get much better than that.
The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
Notice though his singular purpose. This is none less than the certainty he does not rebuke you to destroy you. Is it not comforting to know that in all your trouble he will keep you. Even when you do not feel like it, he still does. See, the soul is something down inside you. You might not see it, but it is there. Without it, something is very wrong just as when your body goes missing. Notice that the Lord's counsels are always to your comfort and salvation. For faithful is he that called you who will also do it verse. If he did not, failed, or lost you then he would not be God. Thus, would be no place found for either him or you on the throne. Not that there is room for you on his throne anyway. Because if it was up to me, I would have been lost a long time ago much like you. But how many know that God alone will keep you like no one else can. War might be raging. Politics might not leave you alone. The government might not help you. The police might not protect you. Your loved ones might not always be there. Sure, some outside help is nice to have. But with the Lord you are never lost. Nor will you be left alone, defenseless, and saved for the pickings. My friends, let God do his job today. He will keep, advise, and preserve you far better than any help in this world. In him is like no other. For he will love you better than your own mother. Some of you need God's presence today. Let him in, so he can do his work.