Firm and steady. There aren’t a lot of things like that in our world. If they are, they don’t seem to stay firm and steady for long.
Circumstances around you this past week weren’t always firm and steady as a whirlwind of frustrations, complications, and consequences swirled outside your control. Your job may not be firm and steady at the moment. A relationship or two may not be as firm and steady as you’d like. Governments of the world are often far from firm and steady. Our moods aren’t always firm and steady, are they? Live long enough, and your own body won’t always be firm and steady. But in Psalm 112, attention is drawn to a firm and steady heart.
He is not afraid of bad news;
his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.
His heart is steady; he will not be afraid… (112:7-8)
Who is this person? How did he (or she) come to be so firm and steady in heart?
- He fears the LORD (112:1)
- She greatly delights in God’s commandments (112:1)
- Like his Father in heaven, he is gracious, merciful, and righteous (112:4)
- She is generous, conducting her affairs with justice (112:5)
- He trusts in the LORD (112:7)
- God provides light for her, even in the darkness (112:4)
Do you hear that? Our circumstances aren’t always firm and steady, but our hearts can be. The darkness around us may be palpable and deep, but “light dawns in the darkness for the upright” (112:4).
You see, God is the hero of Psalm 112, which is why the ancient poem begins with, “Praise the LORD!” But a clear point of emphasis is the blessing available to ordinary people like you and me.
Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commandments! (112:1)
His heart is firm, anchored deep in the Savior’s love. Her heart is steady, built on the Rock of Ages. Today is another opportunity–in the midst of chaos, uncertainty, and fear–to answer the call of Psalm 112 and praise the LORD who makes it possible.
Firm and steady. This world isn’t. Your heart can be, if you delight in and devote yourself to the God who made you.
Happy Lord’s day.