IN THE EVERLASTING ARMS

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Only you, Lord, are a mighty rock! Don’t refuse to help me when I pray. If You don’t answer me, I will soon be dead. Please listen to my prayer and my cry for help, as I lift my hands toward your holy temple.

Don’t drag me away, Lord, with those cruel people, who speak kind words, while planning trouble. Treat them as they deserve! Punish them for their sins. They don’t pay any attention to Your wonderful deeds. Now You will destroy them and leave them in ruin.

I praise You, Lord, for answering my prayers. You are my strong shield, and I trust You completely. You have helped me, and I will celebrate and thank You in song.

You give strength to Your people, Lord, and You save and protect Your chosen ones. Come save us and bless us. Be our shepherd and always carry us in Your arms.

Psalm 28 (CEV)

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

When it comes to Christian or Gospel music, I would consider myself a “tweener.” That is, I am caught up between a love for traditional music, the old hymns that seem to be timeless, and the newer beat of contemporary Christian and Gospel music that has a present day sound while conveying the same message as those timeless hymns. Maybe you’re the same.

Yes, as much as I love to listen to and sing out the new Christian songs I listen to daily, I also love to pull out the hymnal at church on Sunday morning and sing a blessed old hymn that Christians have sung for the ages. One such hymn I want to use for today’s devotional writing is “Leaning On The Everlasting Arms.” If you’re not familiar with it, the lyrics are as follows:

What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Refrain:
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Refrain:
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms?
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Refrain:
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

Leaning on the everlasting arms of God. We all find ourselves having to do this as we walk through life. Some opt to do it and discover fellowship with God and the joy divine that accompanies it, the blessedness and peace that comes through that fellowship, the sweet walk on the path God lights to travel, and His security that removes our fears. Yes, some will opt to lean on the everlasting arms of God but sadly, some will not. They will try and make it on their own strength, attempt to make their own way, endeavor to make their own blessings and joy and peace. And in the end, they will find themselves unfulfilled. For there is only one place that will bring us satisfaction and solace in the world today and that is in the everlasting arms of God, our Father.

David, the shepherd boy who God selected and anointed as king, fully knew God and what he could find in His everlasting arms. We see this when we read the words he penned in the 28th Psalm:

Only you, Lord, are a mighty Rock! Don’t refuse to help me when I pray. If You don’t answer me, I will soon be dead. Please listen to my prayer and my cry for help, as I lift my hands toward your holy temple.

Don’t drag me away, Lord, with those cruel people, who speak kind words, while planning trouble. Treat them as they deserve! Punish them for their sins. They don’t pay any attention to Your wonderful deeds. Now You will destroy them and leave them in ruin.

I praise You, Lord, for answering my prayers. You are my strong shield, and I trust You completely. You have helped me, and I will celebrate and thank You in song.

You give strength to Your people, Lord, and You save and protect Your chosen ones. Come save us and bless us. Be our Shepherd and always carry us in Your arms.

So what did David find from his experience in the everlasting arms, the arms that he not only leaned on but was nestled in as God carried him through times when deep danger lurked?

1. David saw God as his mighty Rock and strong Shield.

Watch a western movie sometime and I’ll bet you will see at least once where someone takes cover behind a rock during a gun fight. As long as they stay behind the protection of the rock, the bullets meant to harm them bounce right off. The rock kept them safe.

Today, we are under attack every day. Satan wants nothing more than to assail us and ultimately destroy us. We need protection. We need a rock like no other to keep us safe, to be our strong shield against harm, and we have that Rock in God. David realized it and God wants us to as well.

2. David found he could have two-way communication with God.

David yearned to talk to God, his Rock. He pleaded for God to not refuse him, to answer when he called out to Him. And God obliged his requests and answered David’s prayers, receiving his praise in return.

God desires to speak with us as well. We need only seek fellowship with Him, leaning on His everlasting arms, be ready to share our concerns and praise as well as listen, and He will carry on a vibrant, edifying communication with us.

I wrote this quote a long time ago, “Communication is the lifeblood of relationship.” In other words, you won’t have a relationship with someone if you aren’t communicating with them. If you don’t believe it, try it sometime and you’ll see I’m right. We must communicate with God, and that communication must be two-way, if we hope to have relation with Him. David found this and we will too when we try it.

3. David grew in his trust in God.

The more we experience God’s protection, the more we are in fellowship with Him, the more we speak with Him, the more trust we gain in Him. We find that there is no other worth having faith in than God. David discovered this and we will too if we fall into and lean on the everlasting arms of God.  

4. David found help.

We all need help. In fact, we need help every day. Help can have varying degrees with some needs more critical than others but when we need help we need it, regardless of the degree.

There are many sources of help out there, so many that we’re often left unsure of which option to take. It sure would be less confusing if we could narrow those options down.

In God, we have just that. In fact, it’s too easy. You need help, you lean on the everlasting arms of God and He grants the help you need. He knows what those needs are and will provide. He did for David and He still does for all those who place their faith and trust in Him today.

5. David was brought to a spirit of celebration and thanksgiving.

When we experience God’s protection, His guidance, and His help while leaning on His everlasting arms, we can’t help but celebrate His goodness, grace and love. We give consistent and persistent thanks for all He is and all He has done. We learn fully that God and God alone is worthy of our praise.

6. David found strength.

After David wrote this Psalm, the apostle Paul would write the words, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13) When we’re in the everlasting arms of the Lord, we have a strength and power to get through life, not a power of our own but a power granted to us by the Lord, a power that gives us the strength to do all things. David received it. Paul received it. We can receive it as well.

7. David found salvation through his Shepherd who carried him.

David was in constant danger of being killed. As king of Israel, many foes wanted the power of his throne and saw murdering David as the way to get it. Yet, in the midst of this peril, David was not harmed. He was able to avoid all his adversaries, delivered and saved by God, the Shepherd who carried him through every instance.

You and I have the same opportunity for deliverance and salvation today through God’s Son, Jesus Christ, who God sent to save us from our sins. Leaning on God’s everlasting arms leads us to His Son and into a salvation that is not just for now but for eternity. Truly, if God is for us, who can stand against us? (Romans 8:31)

Yes, David gained so much by choosing to abide in the everlasting arms of the Lord.

How about you? Are you in His everlasting arms today? Are you experiencing fellowship with the Lord and His joy divine? Are you enjoying the blessedness and peace that is only found in Him? Are you walking on the path of righteousness He will light before you?

If so, then you know just what David is talking about, you know how he is feeling.

If not, then why not lean into the everlasting arms of God today? Rest assured they are open wide to receive you.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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