If the Lord had not been on our side —let Israel now say—, if the Lord had not been on our side when everyone rose against us, they would have swallowed us alive when their anger was kindled against us.
(Psalm 124:1-3)
Having the Lord on your side makes all the difference. Even when you face struggles and afflictions, God's presence delivers you from unimaginable evils. The psalmist contemplated the hypothetical situation of not having God present in moments of greatest distress and concluded that it would have meant his own end and that of the entire nation. The same would happen to us...
Consider the people of Israel: the Lord is the one who has made all the difference between liberation and tragedy among them. This people has managed to escape by the narrowest of margins many times throughout history. We only need to recall wars, sieges, dominions, exiles, massacres, mass exterminations, bombings, and terrorist attacks. In a natural sense, this people should have disappeared long ago. But they continue to exist for a very strong reason: the Lord has been on their side.
The Lord is always on your side
- Think for a moment: where would you be today if it weren't for the Lord?
- Pray and be aware of God's presence every day of your life.
- Give thanks for the deliverances and blessings that Jesus grants you (many of which we don't even notice).
- Remember those who live without God in their lives. Pray and evangelize so they too can recognize the Lord's grace and be saved.
For prayer:
Lord God, I acknowledge that many times I have attributed my victories to my own efforts. I have also thought that You were far away in difficult moments. Still, I recognize that my life is a miracle because of You. If it weren't for You, what would become of me? What would become of all of us? Help me to be aware of this and to remember that Jesus is by my side supporting and shielding me always. Therefore, I praise You and give You thanks. In Christ's name, amen.