“He will rescue you from the fowler’s snare, from the destructive plague.

“You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,

Nor the plague that prowls in the darkness,

Nor the pestilence that destroys at noon.

Yes, you, Lord, are my refuge.

If you make the Most High your shelter,

Evil will not overtake you.

No plague come near your tent.”

Psalm 91

So many times in the Psalms, God is compared to a refuge or a fortress, a place of safety when being attacked by an enemy. Those enemies come in different forms. Sometimes they are people who mean us harm — armies or other types of enemies. Those enemies have a face and we know who to fight and we know when the battle is over.

But sometimes those enemies are not visible. Scripture speaks of seeking protection from famine and plague and pestilence — disasters and threats that come from nowhere and we don’t know when they started or who or what to fight. And we really don’t know when the battle is won. Sometimes those enemies are spiritual attacks that drive us to despair and hopelessness. Sometimes all these enemies gang up on us and we can very much feel like we are under relentless attack.

Usually when we read Psalms that speak of attack and enemies, they seem quaint and humorous. We like to feel like we are strong and in control and can take care of things on our own. But events like this coronavirus can make us painfully aware just how weak and fragile we are, and how easily we can be attacked by natural or spiritual enemies and how much we need help from someone stronger than ourselves.

The current virus has changed our lives dramatically and has pushed us to isolate ourselves. Invisible germs on doorknobs and hands threaten great harm and make us realize just how much we need help and we need a refuge from this enemy.

So what do we do? So often, when we read the Bible, a phrase stands out. “Do not fear.” Even when there is perfectly good reason to be anxious and fearful, God says, “Do not fear.” Why? “I am with you.” Remember Psalm 23? “When I go through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will,” what? “Fear no evil.” Why? “Because you are with me.” Some of the last words Jesus gave us are that promise “I am with you always to the end of the age.”

The Psalms are timeless words of comfort. We have a threat now, but there have been threats before — many times even worse. The Psalms give us comfort that whenever we are in danger, we can know that God not only knows about this but is in charge of the entire situation.

Psalm 91, from which I selected a few verses at the start of this devotion, has other sentences that were used by satan to test Jesus in the wilderness. Jesus said that we should not put God to the test. The answer for our current crisis? Trust God. God is in control. God loves you. But don’t put God to the test. Trust God, but wash your hands and protect yourself. Not just for yourself, but for the benefit of your neighbor. God gave us reason — use it. But don’t be overly anxious and afraid.

I have developed a booklet called A Devotional and Prayer Guide for God’s People. It has Seven Anxiety-Calming Scriptures, various Psalms, several prayers and devotions. I can send it to you if you email me at lukebrown@eaglecom.net

Editor’s Note: Because of the Covid-19 situation, churches have come up with creative ways to hold services. Call your church to receive information on how they are doing services during this time.

Pastor’s Podium

The Pastor’s Podium column is offered each week by a different pastor or lay person representing an Ellsworth County church.

The week’s columnist is Luke Brown, pastor of the Immanuel Lutheran Church, Ellsworth.

The I-R is seeking additional writers for the Pastor’s Podium page. We would like to have all area churches represented. The schedule is rotated so no one writes more than once every three months.

If the pastor or a lay person at your church is interested in writing for this page and is not on the schedule, please call the I-R at (785) 472-5085 for more information.