Pleasant Stone Devotional Meditation: November 18

“He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. His heart is established, he shall not be afraid…” ~ Psalm 112:7, 8a

Here is a “many-colored pleasant stone” which often causes distress rather than rest.

First of all, most of us don’t even want to be reminded that evil tidings might come. And here God is saying that we will not be afraid of them.

“It so happens that over the years of my [Eugenia Price, the author’s] life, my family and I have exchanged long distance phone calls and telegrams with rather too much abandon. For that reason, telegrams and calls at odd hours have never frightened me. But I well understand the fear that tightens your heart, if they frighten you. The fact that the phone rang often long distance for me did not mean that I was not afraid of bad news. The call itself did not frighten me, but I always made a quick appraisal of the tone of my mother’s voice during the first few seconds of the call, just to be sure everything was all right.

What does God really mean here? He doesn’t say I won’t dread to hear “evil tidings.” He doesn’t say you won’t dislike hearing bad news. He simply says we don’t need to fear it. And He is quite simple about it, for which I am thankful. God says we don’t need to fear bad news, because of the fact that we are fixed on Him. Not because of the fact that we are “fixed.” Not because of the fact of Himself. But because we are fixed on Him. Nothing that can happen to you and nothing that can happen to me can in any way change Jesus Christ. This is our rest. This is our poise.

“His heart is established, he shall not be afraid … Fear not, it is I.”