Psalm 27:3

Though an army encamp against me

My heart shall not fear

Though war rise against me

Yet I will be confident. 

My gaze drifts out over the open field

The army advances

The only sound, that of marching feet

The sun has just begun to rise

But its light can not chase away the gloom

The sense of doom and foreboding

That clutches at my heart

How has it come to this?

Conflict on a scale of all out war

Hundreds; Thousands of lives

The stench of death hangs in the air

Though not a single shot has yet been fired

Scavengers circle above in anticipation

Fear grips my heart

There can be no peace

My opponent has counted the cost

He wants blood

He wants death

Enough to pay the cost of countless lives

It is for me that he comes

Dread and anguish fill my heart

The advancing army halts

Silence descends over the field

Glancing down the rows of my army

Not a soldier moves

They stand at attention

Awaiting the order; an order of war and death

An order I dread loosing from my lips

It is in this silence that it happens

A dove descends from the sky

Pure white, shining in the morning sun

Alighting on my noble horse

It’s gaze fixed intently upon me

The world seems to blur and fade

And in a still small voice…

“Have you forgotten who fights for you?”

“Have you forgotten where strength lies?”

“Have you forgotten to whom victory belongs?”

“I am your light and salvation.”

“I am the stronghold of your life.”

“Whom shall you fear?”

“Of whom shall you be afraid?”

Tears wet my cheeks

Descending in rivers of sorrow and joy

Sorrow over my fear and forgetfulness

Joy at the words of THE Mighty King

Creator of the heavens and earth

The true source of my protection

The only source of strength and hope

Even as the tears fall

Hope is renewed

Strength floods into my soul

Confidence fills my mind

Joy drives back the gloom

Peace destroys the tumult

And I look upon the field with new eyes

“You don’t need an army of your own making.”

The words came in tenderness

“They are powerless to stand against the foe.”

“I will fight for you, my child.”

The dove glances left

My gaze follows.

My army fades and disappears

The dove glances right

Again, my gaze follows

My army is gone, no longer standing at attention

I stand alone upon my steed

The sun now high in the sky.

The advancing army still stands

Silence hangs over the field still

And yet that same silence and stillness now fills me

What have I to hear when THE King is near?

What have I to dread when He stands between my foe and me?

The sound of horns shatter the silence

The cries of my adversary rend the sky

The ground shudders as they pound and stomp

All at once, they advance in a flurry of menace

Dust fills the sky from their hurried advance

Mocking laughs of derision and scorn fill the sky

The adversary, confident of victory, rushes in

But my heart…

Oh my heart….

It shall not fear

It will remain confident.

For I am not alone

My KING, THE King

He is all the defense I need

It is my adversary who will stumble and fall.
What have I to fear?

Let the army come.

I stand in the presence of THE King.

Abba,

Let me never make the mistake of thinking that I don’t face an adversary and foe.  I am in a war.  One in which my opponent does not care about the cost.  In fact, the more collateral damage; the more carnage and destruction he can ravage, the better.  He is bent on blood, death, and destruction.  Anger, malice, and hate consumes his being.  Yes, Abba, I face an opponent fierce and deadly.

However, let me never make the opposite mistake either.  Let me not think that I fight alone or that  I fight with an army of my own making.  No army I raise up stands a chance against such an ancient foe.  You are my army.  You alone stand between my adversary and myself.  You alone have the power to defeat my enemy.  You alone have the power to protect me.  You alone are sufficient and able. 

I have no need to fear.  Facing such a foe need not invoke fear in my heart.  For I do not stand alone.  And I do not stand with an army of my own making.  The very God who made me; the very God who died and rose for me; This very God, You, stand between my enemy and myself. 

Therefore, I will not fear.  I will be confident.  Victory is assured.

Let me live in light of this truth.

Let us, your church, live in light of this truth.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation

Whom shall I fear.

The Lord is the stronghold of my life

Of whom shall I be afraid?

When evildoers assail me

To eat up my flesh

My adversaries and foes

It is they who stumble and fall

Though an army encamp against me

My heart shall not fear

Though war rise against me

Yet I will be confident.”

Psalm 27:1-3