Verse of the Day - Psalm 20:7

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name
of the LORD our God. ~ Psalm 20:7 (NIV)

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Chariots and horses were symbols of wealth and status, power and military strength in David's day. If you owned chariots and horses, you had money, so you were "better" than poor folk. You could get where you want to go faster without getting tired or kick a foot soldier's tail in a fight like nobody's business. Simply put, you were a serious contender if you had a horse and chariot.

When symbols of strength give us the success and fame our ego is after, it's easy to give great kudos to those symbols. We begin to rely on them to keep us "on top", believing that these are what make us "great". Maybe it's a very nice salaried position in a successful company, maybe it's the luxury cars in your three-car garage, maybe it's that nice retirement fund you've been nursing for many years. You feel good. You feel successful. You feel "on top".

But when the strong, successful world you've built begins to crumble underneath you like a high-rise in an earthquake, what then? Where is your strength when the layoffs roll around, and suddenly, the foreclosures and repossessions leave you empty-handed and homeless? Folks, it's happening all around us -- to our friends and families, our neighbors, ourselves. What are we trusting in when the bottom drops out of all our symbols of strength and success?

When Pharaoh's horses and chariots followed the Israelites, who were on foot, into the dry floor of the Red Sea (Exodus 14), it looked like the Hebrew children were done for. But God was the Israelites' strength, and horses and chariots were no match for Him. What appeared weak ended up being the victor because of the God surrounding them.

The Lord has to be the Rock we cling to for our strength. Things of this world that promote a sense of power and control are hollow if God is not behind them, amen? When Pharaoh's army is nipping at your heels, are you looking for a horse and chariot of your own, or are you getting on your knees and calling on God? I pray you can give your full trust to God to guard and protect you, to give you what you need to survive and thrive in this world, to help you stand firm in your faith in Him when the battles rage.

Don't trust in the things God made; trust in the God who made all things...

Love,
Joelene