Psalm 31:9-16, 1 Samuel 16:11-13, Philippians 1:1-11  

Psalm 31:9-16 is a compelling passage.  We live in a world that is good, created by the Good Lord Almighty, but also one that is filled with suffering:  sorrow, hunger, sickness, death, grief, violence.  The sin of humankind has brought on all kinds of hardship.  Sometimes it seems like there is terror on every side.  At times, we might feel forgotten, of use to no one, like broken pottery.  Other times, we might feel surrounded by enemies.  Jesus himself “was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.  Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.” (Isaiah 53:3)  He was well-acquainted with grief and tears, and just like us, was subjected to the world’s difficulties.  But, “…however fierce the waves are which beat against us, and however sore the assaults by which we are shaken, we hold fast this as a fixed principle, that we are constantly under the protection of God, and can say to him freely, ‘Thou art our God.’” (John Calvin).   

Our refuge and salvation are in God and his unfailing love and mercy.  God will not fail us, no one can take God from us.  “…blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.  They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.  It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8)  As we see in the passage I Samuel 16:11-13, God has a plan, and it will succeed.  God makes use of even mistake-prone people like David.  “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)   

We look forward to Easter, when we celebrate our Savior’s resurrection and his triumph over sin and the world! 

Danny Biles, Professor 

Mathematics and Computer Science Department, College of Science and Math