The hand in the fire

“I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

Psalm 16:7-8 (NIV)

The words of this psalm are like a three part formula that the Holy Spirit gives us to keep our faith from being shaken during the fiery trials of life. 

It involves three areas to focus on: the heart, the eyes and our right hand. I think there is a message of hope and faith for us in these verses.

In breaking it down, the first focus is the heart, but it’s not referring to the organ that pumps blood through our body. The Psalmist refers to the heart as that place deep within, that believes and finds strength from the Spirit of God. It’s the place where the Lord counsels and instructs us late at night, after we bring Him all of our concerns of the day.

Next, it says that we need to keep our eyes on the Lord. If our eyes are not on the Lord, then they will be only on the problems. The Lord is invisible to our physical eyes, while problems are very visible all around us. Jesus said “Blessed are those who believe and don’t see.” These are the times to use our eyes of faith, not our physical eyes. 

The eyes of faith are described in what is known as the faith chapter of the Bible. The first line, Hebrews 11:1, reads, “Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen.” God’s word tells us we can still know with certainty what we cannot see physically. It says we can know with proof, and it is not done with physical eyes, but our eyes of faith.

Finally, the third part, involves our right hand, which is my favorite subject. It reminds me of my vivid childhood dream, which I have written about before. When I was five, I dreamed that my school was on fire and chaos was all around me. Someone took hold of my right hand and led me around the corners and down the school hallways, while people were running in all directions. I was safely led out the exit door of the school. When I looked up, it was Jesus, standing there holding my right hand. Then I woke up.

With every crisis I face, I remember that childhood dream, keeping my right hand in the hand of Jesus through the fires of life.  

In the chaos of our lives, we cast all our cares on Jesus, and His Spirit comes to us at night, restoring our peace, while we keep our right hand in His. He walks through every fire with us. He never promised to prevent the fires in our lives, but He knows where the fire exits are. When we keep our hand in His, He leads us in peace and safety.

When I searched the internet for the right picture to attach to this meditation, I chose the one below of Jesus leading people through the fire, but then realized that I once knew the artist. Jon and his brother Michael, were childhood friends and playmates with the two sons of the Christian artist who painted the attached picture. We all attended the same church many years ago. After choosing a painting, made by the father of my boys’ childhood friends, seemed like a sign from heaven, that Jesus is holding all of our hands through the fire. 

Lord, open our eyes of faith as we give you our right hand, trusting you to lead anyone who reads this message today. Whatever type of fire we are going through, we praise you for replacing our anxiety with your hope and peace. Amen

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