Perspective – Deuteronomy 33:27a
The eternal God is a dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.
Happiness awaits those who will consider the circumstances of their lives from an eternal perspective and rest in the everlasting arms of our Lord.
The cliché, “Don’t sweat the small stuff, and it’s all small stuff”[1] holds a wealth of wisdom. I am not referring to profound loss or sorrow, for the Lord tells us there is a time for sorrow, a time for mourning, but most of what goes on around us falls into the category of small stuff. We needlessly suffer and fret over things beyond our control and which will have absolutely no impact on our lives a year later, often even a week or an hour later.
I applied the “small stuff” lesson when I was embroiled in a government investigation into fraud. People started hurling accusations and some flew my way. I became a subject in the investigation, which meant the investigators considered me more potentially culpable than a witness, but less than the target. I had to get an attorney who advised me not to underestimate the gravity of the situation. As someone who had recently gotten her first traffic ticket, I found this a scary place. However, after several sleepless nights, I was able to relinquish the matter to the Lord, and I never worried about it again. My daughter helped when she said, “What is the worst thing that could happen, Mom? You lose your job, house, all your money, and you have to come and live with us.”
She left out the part about going to jail, but I understood her point. Regardless of how the investigation would turn out, God would still be on His throne, He would still love me, protect me, and provide for me; Jesus would still be my Savior, and I would still be heaven-bound.[2] In the end, the matter became a nonissue for me, and I look back with gratitude to the Lord, for He gave me peace as I followed Him to safety through the landmine-strewn ordeal.[3]
Are you in a scary place? You need not fear or be dismayed. Rather, trust the Lord with all that would
trouble you. To quote another cliché,
“If you can’t fight, flee.”[4] Flee into the
everlasting arms of our loving Father.[5]
I’ve been around this course before
Many times it seems
This time I think I’ll skip the pain
Trusting Jesus with my dreams
My panicked mind has cried and screamed
Pleading with the Lord
To help me through, to make it right
To slay my dragons by His Sword
I’ve fretted, worried, bitten nails
And laid wide eyed awake
Wondering why the mighty King
Would this time my side forsake
Forgetting countless victories past
Acting still the same
Allowing fear its painful grip
Bound in shackles to my shame
I’ve prepared myself for battle
Armed with worthless pride
Oblivious to the angels
God had posted by my side
When at last full spent from combat
And bloodied from the fight
‘Tis then I’d give unto the Lord
In trust and hope my plight
With faithfulness incredible
To unfaithful me
He’d bid the wind to cease its roar
And rebuke the threatening sea
Though I’ve learned the lessons slowly
I have learned indeed
So let fear bare its ugly teeth
I’ll follow not again its lead
I’ll skip the whole scenario
Trusting from the start
Persuaded that God’s Word is true
At rest my mind, assured my heart
[1] Richard Carlson
[2] Deuteronomy 33:12, 2 Peter 3:18, John 3:16
[3] Jeremiah 6:16
[4] Richard Carlson
[5] Deuteronomy 33:27
