Deuteronomy 33:27 - The Eternal God Is Your Refuge.
Deuteronomy 33:27 (NIV) The eternal God is
your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting
arms. He will drive out your enemy before you,
saying, 'Destroy him!'
CONTEXT
33:26-29 Blessing and Benediction. For the
last time Moses stood in the assembly of his
people. Again the Spirit of God rested upon him, and
in the most sublime and touching language he
pronounced a blessing upon each of the tribes, closing
with a benediction upon them all: PP471
COMMENTARY PEARL
He Still Sustains Us
When we hear the word suffering we
usually think of physical pain. But psychological
suffering is just as real - and sometimes more
devastating. It may be an inner grief or sorrow you
cannot express, even to your dearest friend or
spouse. It may sap your strength or paralyze you
with anxiety. It may harm your relationships, or
even grip you so tightly that it becomes more
than just a temporary problem, but a serious
psychological illness.
Paul knew what it was to experience
psychological suffering; he told the Corinthians he had
written them "out of much affliction and anguish of
heart" (2 Cor. 2:4). Jesus in the Garden of
Gethsemane, 'being in agony, prayed more earnestly"
(Luke 22:44). After denying His Lord three times,
Peter "went out and wept bitterly" (Luke 22:62).
But when such times come (and they come
to us all) God still loves us. He does not
abandon us. Remember: "The eternal God is your
refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms"
(Deut.33:27).
People are sympathetic toward physical
pain; friends rush in to offer support. Yet, we
tend to feel abandoned in times of emotional
pain. Jesus knows the unseen agony, and He has
not left you alone. [Hope for Each Day by Billy
Graham]
COMMENTARY
He is Your Shield
Jeff was miffed. He wrote, "Joni, to even
say that God allows bad things to happen goes
against his loving nature. God is good and he has
absolutely nothing to do with the tragedies and awful
things that happened in this world!" I thought back
to the early days of my paralysis when I
believed the same way. But it made me feel less
trustful of God, not more. God seemed to be held
hostage by bad things... things that were happening
in my life! Surely the Bible has more to say
about this. That's when I stumbled upon
Deuteronomy 33:27-29. There, I found a sturdy,
wonderfully awesome view of God. He definitely has
something to do with the awful things that happen in
the world!
God is constantly protecting us from the
full force of the Fall and the evil and suffering
that goes with it. He is relentlessly shielding
us. Time and again, he drives the devil away and
rescues us from his wicked schemes. This sin-stained
planet would have ripped apart at the seams long
ago were it not for the restraining hand of
God.
Second Thessalonians 2:6-7 says, "And now
you know what is holding [the evil one] back...
For the secret power of lawlessness is already
at work; but the one who now holds it back will
continue to do so till he is taken out of the way."
The Spirit of the Living God is the One who is
"holding back" Satan and the suffering he instigates.
Moment-by-moment God is engaged with suffering, restraining
it and only allowing those harmful things to
reach us which ultimately fit into his plan for
your life!
Lord God, bless you for shielding,
protecting, and preserving me this day. I rest in your
everlasting arms for you are my refuge in this world of
sin and woe. [Joni Eareckson Tada Daily
Devotional:
http://www.joniandfriends.org/daily-devotional]
ILLUSTRATIONS
Before my spinal surgery in 2018, I made
the house patient friendly. There would be
limitations on my movements, so I arranged items I use
on a daily basis within easy reach. I bought a
grabber stick so I could pick up things for myself.
The doctors office advised having help at
home the first few weeks. But my husband had to
return to work a few days after my surgery, and we
had no family nearby.
I reminded myself how tough I was.
While our children were growing up, wed never
had family near us, and my husband worked long
hours. Twice in recent years, hed moved across
the country for a new job and left me behind in
an area where we were still newcomers. Once I
drove myself to the emergency room at 3:30 a.m.
After the surgery, the worst pain came
when I stood up. I learned to push on my thighs
to help raise myself. Often my husband walked
into the room as I started to get up from the
couch where I spent the first week. Hed put his
arms under my shoulders and lift me up. I worried
about my weight straining his back, but it was a
relief to sink into his arms and avoid the pain!
During my recuperation, I often thought
about Jesus and His arms. How much pain do I
needlessly suffer because of prideful independence?
Jesus wants to carry my burdens, but first I have
to let them go. Instead of relying on my own
strength, I can depend on the strong, loving arms of
Jesus to bear me up. by Dianne Neal Matthews
Faith Step: Is something in your life
causing you pain or making you feel weak today?
Imagine sinking into Jesuss arms and allowing Him
to support you. [Mornings With Jesus 2020
Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan]
Three years ago, my dear friend Janelle's
son had a freak accident on his all-terrain
vehicle that crushed his leg. He spent much of fifth
grade in a wheelchair, enduring multiple surgeries
and undergoing therapy to get him back on his
feet. Finally he healed, and he had seemed well
until an infection manifested in the leg this
year. Eighth grade for him meant he had to wear a
PICC line everywhere he went - a special catheter
that infused antibiotics directly to his heart.
Now lab work shows the infection is gone.
God only knows whether there might be microbes
hiding down in the tissue; no one else can know for
sure. It's up to Janelle and her husband to choose
whether to remove the PICC line now or wait -
basically a leap of faith.
I asked her how she was doing, and I
wanted to say Jesus would make it all better. Just
pray, and you will know the answer and everything
will be great because Jesus loves you. But those
clichs we pass around are really half-truths at
best, aren't they? I believe with all my heart
that Jesus loves us. The rest? Anybody's guess.
Here's what I said instead: I can't tell
you or myself that leaping in faith means we'll
never fall. I hope every last bacterium has
breathed its last, but the truth we both know is that
we don't know. What I do know from experience
is that underneath us are the everlasting arms.
Jesus helps us face whatever comes. He gives us
grace for the moment we're in. This is not all
we'd ask for if we're honest. But it's enough.
Jesus is enough, come what may. His grace is
sufficient for us. by Gwen Ford Faulkenberry
Faith Step: Write down Deuteronomy 33:27
- the part of it quoted above - and commit it
to memory. Let it help you rest your heart in
His faithful love. [Mornings With Jesus 2019
Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan]
CLOSING PEARLS
There are no words to describe some
moments in life. For example, after a day and a half
of driving, we pull into the driveway at our
daughter and son-in-law's house. As soon as I step
out of the car, the front door swings open and
two little bodies come flying out. I lean
forward, stretch out my arms, and suddenly my
granddaughter and grandson are plastered against me. Then
I go into the house and greet whoever is
holding the baby. When I stretch out my hands, the
baby leans toward me. No words.
If an ordinary nana feels such joy when
her grandchildren hurl themselves into her arms,
can you imagine how Jesus must love it when we
run to Him? When we feel weak, His arms support
and strengthen us. During times of grief and
hurt, His arms comfort us. If we're lonely, He
wraps us in tenderness and love. And the best part
of all? His arms are always there. Everlasting
arms ready to hold us up through each season of
life.
When I read the story of Esther
approaching her husband to intercede for the Jewish
people, I can't help but contrast King Xerxes with
our King of kings. Esther knew that anyone who
approached the king in his inner court without being
summoned would be executed, unless the king held out
his golden scepter. But we are invited to
approach our loving Savior with confidence that we
will receive grace (Hebrews 4:16). When I
remember the times I've run into Jesus's nail-scarred
arms, there are no words to describe those
moments. by Dianne Neal Matthews
Faith Steps: What do you need from
Jesus's everlasting arms right now? Try to visualize
His pleasure when you run to Him, trusting Him
to hold you up. [Mornings With Jesus 2018
Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan]
You've heard that old clich, "It could
be worse!" It's not a phrase we like to hear.
The words can sound rather trite and empty at
times. But it's true. Things truly could be much
worse for all of us. Picture God holding up his
hands like the flood-control locks on a canal,
holding back a dark tidal wave of suffering and
harm. His everlasting arms shield us. He is our
refuge and protector. Were it not for the influence
of the Spirit of Christ in this world, we would
see much more calamity, violence, natural
catastrophes, war, and crime. Most of all, thank God we
don't get the sentence of death we deserve for our
sins, but rather the rescue and salvation he so
freely offered to us in his Son!
Are you experiencing hardship today? God
promises that absolutely nothing will penetrate his
sheltering hands to touch us except that which has been
weighed and measured, so as to not ultimately harm
us. And when troubles do encroach on our lives,
God promises to flood us with his sustaining
grace.
And though our world can be a dark and
sorrowful place at times, we can still experience our
Father's goodness in the simple pleasures of a
rainbow burning against a dark sky, a honeybee
exploring a daffodil, the soft morning sunlight, a cup
of cocoa by a cherry wood fire on a stormy
night, the whisper of a summer wind in the pines,
the companionship of a loved one, and the hope
of a wondrous new dawn in our heavenly home,
just around the corner.
Take a moment to think through the good
in your life - the things and the people you
love and value. Then spend some time thanking the
one who sends us "every good and perfect gift"
(James 1:17).
Bless You, my Father, for Your guarding
and shielding me from so much evil, so much harm
and grief. Grant me a grateful, thankful heart
through the hours of this day. [Joni Eareckson Tada
Daily Devotional:
http://www.joniandfriends.org/daily-devotional]
ONE LINER
As through Jesus we enter into rest, heaven
begins here. We respond to His invitation, Come,
learn of Me, and in thus coming we begin the life
eternal. Heaven is a ceaseless approaching to God
through Christ As we walk with Jesus in this
life, we may be filled with His love, satisfied
with His presence. All that human nature can
bear, we may receive here. {DA 331}
TEXT FOR FURTHER STUDY
Psalm 91:9-11 (NLT) If you make the LORD
your refuge, if you make the Most High your
shelter, 10 no evil will conquer you; no plague will
come near your home. 11 For he will order his
angels to protect you wherever you go.
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Steps to Peace by Billy Graham:
https://stepstopeace.org/
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Voice of Prophecy Discover Bible Study
Guides:
https://www.voiceofprophecy.com/study/discover
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible
Panorama of Prophecy with Pastor Doug
Batchelor: https://www.panoramaofprophecy.com/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
