Nothing to Fear
Deployment Series
“Make a point to pray specifically for the peace of those who quarrel, and that God might use you as an instrument of establishing peace in our earthly realm…”
“The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident...I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”
Explanation:
The Psalmist is no stranger to warfare. Despite his familiarity with battle, he is confident in the protective and delivering hand of God. When reading this Psalm, we are struck with the image of a man surrounded by his enemies, yet still able to flee and find a place to hide – where he can be safe from the realities around him.¹ Rather than overrunning God’s anointed, they are thwarted – made to stumble about. They become, for all intents and purposes, useless in their campaign against God’s people. Moreover, notice that the Psalmist is not boasting of his own capacity for trust in God. Rather – he is simply noting the facts by describing the things that God presently and visibly does.
Connection:
The realities of warfare can only be explained through the experience. Ask any soldier involved in the invasion of Normandy, the Tet Offensive, or the Battle of Fallujah to describe what they had witnessed and it is likely you will be met with a lack of words. Soldiers are first and foremost witnesses to the devastating evil that men can inflict upon one another. Sometimes this is done for money, power, or territory. Other times religion or ideology serve as the primary motivators that escalate conflict to the point of bloodshed. The Christian soldier is often wrestling with some deep spiritual and philosophical questions in light of what he has experienced, often only resulting in further, more perplexing questions.
The Psalmist, David, understood the realities of warfare as he, himself, was a warrior. He understood the deep-seated, spiritual origins of war, the barbed questions that the realities of life on the battlefield force one to ask. Where is God in all of this? How could a good and loving God allow warfare in the first place? Such questions are understandable, and ought to be asked and wrestled through. David worked through the same issues, as any cursory reading of the Psalms will testify. In his wrestling with God, he learns to be patient for the hand of the Lord, to trust in his goodness in the midst of the siege. Man has the ability to kill and destroy, but God has the ability to protect, uphold, and restore - that even as one walks through the battlefield, through the literal valley of the shadow of death, he learns to fear no evil. He is confident that the judge of all the Earth will do right by him, whatever awaits him. He learns to see the goodness of God, even in light of the wickedness of man. Thus, the Christian soldier needs not fear what man can do to him, as God holds his soul in the palm of his hand, where nothing can take him away. In Christ, death has lost its sting, and hell has been swallowed up. Under the cross, the evil of the world is transfigured, and we know that despite the raging of the wicked, God will restore all things, and make all things new.
Action:
1. Pray for Peace -
Our Lord teaches us in the beatitudes "blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God" (Matt. 5:9). Thus, all of our prayers as Christians should be toward the establishment of peace, always seeking to avoid resorting to violence unless it is absolutely necessary. Make a point to pray specifically for the peace of those who quarrel, and that God might use you as an instrument of establishing peace in our earthly realm.
2. Lead by Example -
During difficult times, people often search for a leader they can trust. Paul tells Timothy to "set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity" (1 Tim 4:12). When people are placed in the mire of warfare, it can be easy to lose hope. Make it a point to maintain a positive and calming presence, praying for those around you, that God might make you a rock of stability for the comfort of others.
3. Meditate on God's Word -
The Psalms are a great example of prayers in battle, for they, themselves, are prayers of one who is entrenched in war. Thus, imitate the faith of the Psalmist, meditate on his words about the faithfulness, love, and protection of God - even in dire circumstances.
¹John Goldingay, Psalms: Volume 1 Psalm 1-41 (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013), 593.