Our God is in heaven and does what he pleases. (Psalm 115:3)
In today’s passage the psalmist reminds all of us to trust that God is always in control. With all the trouble we hear in the news these days, it is very easy to get discouraged and doubt God’s sovereignty and his Word.
In the Garden of Eden, the serpent asked Eve “Did God really say?”… (Genesis 3:2). In the present day, Satan uses this trick and wants us to doubt God’s promises and to join the world in asking “Where is God?” (115:2).
We find ourselves putting our trust in things such as our careers, money, and relationships. While these things aren’t necessarily bad on their own, they become idols if we prioritize them ahead of God. The psalmist warns us that we become like our idols if we put our trust in them – powerless and ineffective (115:4-8)
Instead of putting our hope in temporary things, throughout Scripture we are called and encouraged to put our trust in the Lord:
- He is our good shepherd (Psalm 23:1)
- He directs our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6)
- He will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5)
- He will always provide a way of escape for any temptations we face (1 Corinthians 10:13)
What does this Psalm teach us about prayer? In prayer, we are recognizing our dependence on God and that he is our ultimate source of our daily bread and other needs. As both our Creator and Heavenly Father, he is always willing to provide.
Let us daily fear and trust in the LORD, he is ultimately our help and shield. Regardless of any circumstances we face, the highs, the lows or anything in between we can be confident that God uses them only for our own good.