1 00:00:32,025 --> 00:00:36,305 Speaker 1: Hey friends, Jennifer Slattery here thanking you for a wonderful year. 2 00:00:36,625 --> 00:00:39,745 Speaker 1: Your support means the world to us. I also wanted 3 00:00:39,784 --> 00:00:41,425 Speaker 1: to let you know that my team and I will 4 00:00:41,465 --> 00:00:44,104 Speaker 1: be taking a two week break in January to regroup 5 00:00:44,144 --> 00:00:47,705 Speaker 1: and refuel spiritually. During that time, will we air some 6 00:00:47,784 --> 00:00:51,385 Speaker 1: of our most popular episodes if you've already listened to them. 7 00:00:51,545 --> 00:00:55,505 Speaker 1: Perhaps consider this an opportunity to prayerfully reflect on the 8 00:00:55,585 --> 00:00:59,785 Speaker 1: truce anew. May you encounter the Lord in a personal 9 00:01:00,025 --> 00:01:15,465 Speaker 1: and fulfilling way each time you listen God Bless Life Audio. Hello, 10 00:01:15,785 --> 00:01:18,225 Speaker 1: thank you for listening to your Daily Bible Verse, the 11 00:01:18,265 --> 00:01:21,904 Speaker 1: podcast that examines one verse each day to learn more 12 00:01:21,985 --> 00:01:24,985 Speaker 1: about God and his will for us. I'm your host, 13 00:01:25,104 --> 00:01:27,865 Speaker 1: Jennifer Slattery, and after this short word from our sponsor, 14 00:01:27,985 --> 00:01:41,065 Speaker 1: we'll dive into today's Bible verse Psal'm forty four three. 15 00:01:42,544 --> 00:01:45,745 Speaker 1: Today's Bible verses Psalm forty four to three. It was 16 00:01:45,865 --> 00:01:48,264 Speaker 1: not by their sword that they won the land, nor 17 00:01:48,345 --> 00:01:51,785 Speaker 1: did their arm bring them victory. It was your right hand, 18 00:01:52,025 --> 00:01:55,465 Speaker 1: your arm, and the light of your face, for you 19 00:01:55,585 --> 00:02:00,585 Speaker 1: love them. How do you bolster your faith during times 20 00:02:00,665 --> 00:02:04,105 Speaker 1: of crises? We started a tradition when our daughter was young. 21 00:02:04,185 --> 00:02:07,865 Speaker 1: That encouraged and strengthened my frightened and weary soul during 22 00:02:07,945 --> 00:02:10,865 Speaker 1: a season of transition. I've shared a bit of this 23 00:02:11,105 --> 00:02:14,145 Speaker 1: here before, how our family moved literally across the country 24 00:02:14,185 --> 00:02:17,785 Speaker 1: from southern California to Boser City, Louisiana, so my husband 25 00:02:17,825 --> 00:02:21,505 Speaker 1: could start a position with a new company, one that 26 00:02:21,625 --> 00:02:25,225 Speaker 1: proved so stressful and toxic he quit six months later. 27 00:02:25,425 --> 00:02:27,905 Speaker 1: Then a few months after that, we moved once again 28 00:02:28,065 --> 00:02:30,585 Speaker 1: to a five hundred square foot rent by the month 29 00:02:30,665 --> 00:02:33,665 Speaker 1: apartment so he could take a contract work, not knowing 30 00:02:33,705 --> 00:02:36,465 Speaker 1: how long we'd be there or where we'd go next. 31 00:02:36,945 --> 00:02:42,624 Speaker 1: All that transition and financial uncertainty triggered some unhealed wounds 32 00:02:42,704 --> 00:02:46,385 Speaker 1: connected to my homelessness in my later teen years. But 33 00:02:46,544 --> 00:02:50,945 Speaker 1: then I'd look at a basket of prayer rocks our 34 00:02:50,984 --> 00:02:55,265 Speaker 1: family had painted to commemorate ways God had provided for 35 00:02:55,584 --> 00:02:58,905 Speaker 1: or blessed us, and that reminded me that I had 36 00:02:59,065 --> 00:03:03,265 Speaker 1: survived numerous hardships and challenges over the years, not in 37 00:03:03,345 --> 00:03:07,585 Speaker 1: my strength, but because the Lord, my Savior, carried me through. 38 00:03:08,665 --> 00:03:11,345 Speaker 1: When I read the Psalms, I'm struck by how often 39 00:03:11,465 --> 00:03:15,505 Speaker 1: these ancient prayers recount the miraculous and loving works of God. 40 00:03:15,984 --> 00:03:19,185 Speaker 1: That was how the ancient Israelites had learned to strengthen 41 00:03:19,185 --> 00:03:22,305 Speaker 1: their faith in times of crisis and for future times 42 00:03:22,305 --> 00:03:26,065 Speaker 1: of crisis. As God had instructed them after instituting the 43 00:03:26,105 --> 00:03:29,665 Speaker 1: First Passover the night before they left Egypt, he told 44 00:03:29,704 --> 00:03:32,665 Speaker 1: them to use the annual celebration and to tell their 45 00:03:32,745 --> 00:03:36,465 Speaker 1: children about how he had freed them from their oppressors. 46 00:03:37,105 --> 00:03:40,184 Speaker 1: Forty years later, after God enabled them to cross over 47 00:03:40,225 --> 00:03:43,784 Speaker 1: the Jordan River at flood Stage and into the agriculturally 48 00:03:44,065 --> 00:03:46,784 Speaker 1: rich land he'd long promised to give them, he told 49 00:03:46,825 --> 00:03:50,345 Speaker 1: them to make a monument of stones to commemorate the moment, 50 00:03:50,465 --> 00:03:53,145 Speaker 1: and in the years following, to use those stones to 51 00:03:53,265 --> 00:03:59,185 Speaker 1: teach their children about His faithfulness. Those miracle stories, shared 52 00:03:59,305 --> 00:04:04,064 Speaker 1: by one generation to the next anchored their identity as 53 00:04:04,185 --> 00:04:08,425 Speaker 1: God's beloved children and fixed their hope and faith firmly 54 00:04:08,625 --> 00:04:12,785 Speaker 1: in His power and grace. Scholars believe the anonymous songwriter 55 00:04:12,865 --> 00:04:17,665 Speaker 1: who Pennsalm forty four likely did so during the Babylonian Exile, 56 00:04:17,705 --> 00:04:20,465 Speaker 1: a seventy year period during which God's people lived as 57 00:04:20,545 --> 00:04:23,905 Speaker 1: foreigners in a foreign land, feeling the staining of regret 58 00:04:24,025 --> 00:04:26,465 Speaker 1: for the sin that brought them there, and a sol 59 00:04:26,545 --> 00:04:30,425 Speaker 1: deep ache to return to their homeland, which the Assyrians 60 00:04:30,425 --> 00:04:35,785 Speaker 1: had destroyed. And as the Psalmist grieved his circumstances and 61 00:04:35,985 --> 00:04:39,464 Speaker 1: all he and his people had lost, likely feeling stuck 62 00:04:39,585 --> 00:04:43,345 Speaker 1: in his difficulty and despair and powerless to break free, 63 00:04:43,865 --> 00:04:48,025 Speaker 1: he reminded himself and others of the power of his God. 64 00:04:48,545 --> 00:04:52,385 Speaker 1: Reflecting upon when God fulfilled the promise initially made thousands 65 00:04:52,425 --> 00:04:56,145 Speaker 1: of years prior to their patriarch, Abraham, the Psalmist wrote, 66 00:04:56,145 --> 00:04:58,825 Speaker 1: speaking of their ancestors, it was not by their sword 67 00:04:58,985 --> 00:05:01,104 Speaker 1: that they won the land, nor did their arm bring 68 00:05:01,185 --> 00:05:04,025 Speaker 1: them victory. In other words, it wasn't on their own. 69 00:05:04,145 --> 00:05:08,785 Speaker 1: Their greatest weapons and most brilliant strategies were gravely insufficient 70 00:05:08,865 --> 00:05:12,585 Speaker 1: for the challenges they faced. But they weren't alone. The 71 00:05:12,625 --> 00:05:15,585 Speaker 1: host or commander of Heaven's armies, the one who promised 72 00:05:15,625 --> 00:05:19,225 Speaker 1: to never leave or forsake them, remained with them and 73 00:05:19,344 --> 00:05:25,025 Speaker 1: thought on their behalf. He made that unforgettably clear in 74 00:05:25,105 --> 00:05:28,545 Speaker 1: how he instructed them to fight their first battle against Jericho, 75 00:05:29,065 --> 00:05:32,304 Speaker 1: a heavily fortified city that stood between them and the 76 00:05:32,385 --> 00:05:35,825 Speaker 1: land God had given them. They won that battle not 77 00:05:35,985 --> 00:05:39,185 Speaker 1: through battering rams or the middle of the night covert ops, 78 00:05:39,224 --> 00:05:42,864 Speaker 1: but by marching in circles for seven days while the 79 00:05:42,865 --> 00:05:46,985 Speaker 1: people of Jericho watched, likely he confused and maybe even 80 00:05:47,585 --> 00:05:52,185 Speaker 1: slightly amused. For seven days, the ancient Israelites marched in 81 00:05:52,265 --> 00:05:56,865 Speaker 1: the shade of those massive, seemingly impenetrable walls, step by 82 00:05:56,865 --> 00:06:01,984 Speaker 1: step by step by step, each one providing ample opportunity 83 00:06:02,625 --> 00:06:07,305 Speaker 1: to feed their fear and doubts or to fortify their 84 00:06:07,305 --> 00:06:13,624 Speaker 1: faith by remembering the power, provision, protection, and grace God 85 00:06:13,745 --> 00:06:18,625 Speaker 1: had provided in the four decades prior the Lord there, 86 00:06:18,665 --> 00:06:22,865 Speaker 1: God rescued his people and gave them victory over their 87 00:06:22,985 --> 00:06:28,065 Speaker 1: enemies by his right hand. That's a Hebrew idiom denoting 88 00:06:28,185 --> 00:06:32,464 Speaker 1: power and sovereignty, and his arm another symbol of strength, 89 00:06:32,545 --> 00:06:34,505 Speaker 1: and the light of his face, or, as the New 90 00:06:34,505 --> 00:06:39,585 Speaker 1: American Standard Bible phrases it, of his presence, because with 91 00:06:39,745 --> 00:06:46,544 Speaker 1: his presence comes power, provision, protection, and peace. In his presence, 92 00:06:46,985 --> 00:06:52,025 Speaker 1: darkness must flee. I don't know what you're going through, 93 00:06:52,065 --> 00:06:53,865 Speaker 1: what you just came out of, or what you might 94 00:06:53,904 --> 00:06:58,105 Speaker 1: face tomorrow. But here's what I do know. God will 95 00:06:58,145 --> 00:07:02,145 Speaker 1: be with you. His presence and love will surround you 96 00:07:02,265 --> 00:07:06,745 Speaker 1: and His power will sustain you. Nothing you encounter can 97 00:07:06,825 --> 00:07:10,025 Speaker 1: separate you from his love or nagate his good and 98 00:07:10,065 --> 00:07:14,105 Speaker 1: hope filled plans for you. When life feels hard and uncertain, 99 00:07:14,425 --> 00:07:17,345 Speaker 1: it's normal to feel afraid. But we don't have to 100 00:07:17,425 --> 00:07:21,345 Speaker 1: let fear drive us. We can actively, intentionally and progressively 101 00:07:21,385 --> 00:07:25,705 Speaker 1: build our faith by following the Psalmist example and remind 102 00:07:25,705 --> 00:07:29,785 Speaker 1: ourselves of the power, presence, protection, character, and provision of 103 00:07:29,825 --> 00:07:36,225 Speaker 1: our unconquerable and merciful Lord. Let's pray, Holy Father, you 104 00:07:36,425 --> 00:07:41,545 Speaker 1: are all powerful. Your right hand, your mighty arm is 105 00:07:41,585 --> 00:07:46,145 Speaker 1: sufficient to save. You are with us, and you love us, 106 00:07:46,265 --> 00:07:50,185 Speaker 1: and you shine your light upon us. You go before us, 107 00:07:50,225 --> 00:07:53,145 Speaker 1: you fight our battles, You clear away the rubble that 108 00:07:53,185 --> 00:07:55,785 Speaker 1: gets in the way of the plans you have for us. 109 00:07:55,905 --> 00:07:58,625 Speaker 1: You strengthen us for the journey. You carry us and 110 00:07:58,665 --> 00:08:02,225 Speaker 1: we're too weak to continue, and you remain with us 111 00:08:02,225 --> 00:08:05,945 Speaker 1: through it all, as our father, as our God, as 112 00:08:06,025 --> 00:08:10,185 Speaker 1: the host of Heaven's armies, as our savior, as our redeemer, 113 00:08:10,265 --> 00:08:13,465 Speaker 1: as our friend, as our source of power, as our 114 00:08:13,545 --> 00:08:17,545 Speaker 1: source of goodness, as the light that shines in the darkness. 115 00:08:18,505 --> 00:08:24,265 Speaker 1: Remind us of who you are when fear rises up 116 00:08:24,305 --> 00:08:28,825 Speaker 1: within us. Encourage us to pause, to connect with you 117 00:08:29,705 --> 00:08:32,745 Speaker 1: and to reflect on all the way you have been 118 00:08:32,905 --> 00:08:37,545 Speaker 1: faithful in the past. You don't change the one who 119 00:08:37,625 --> 00:08:41,985 Speaker 1: is faithful to provide for and protect ancient Israel. You 120 00:08:42,025 --> 00:08:45,625 Speaker 1: are faithful to provide for us and protect us as well. 121 00:08:46,265 --> 00:08:48,665 Speaker 1: Thank you for your love. Thank you for your son, 122 00:08:48,985 --> 00:08:53,025 Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, whose death and resurrection made a way for 123 00:08:53,225 --> 00:08:56,945 Speaker 1: us to have this deep relationship with you. And it 124 00:08:56,985 --> 00:08:59,825 Speaker 1: is in his name, our Savior, your Son, that we 125 00:08:59,945 --> 00:09:01,265 Speaker 1: pray Amen.