DEVOTION – DAY 413

Psalm 37:23-24 “The Lord Holds Us In His Hands”

Psalm 37:23-24 “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand.”

Psalm 37 was written by King David and was regarded as an instruction in always seeking Godly wisdom. The psalm contrasted the righteous who would “inherit the land” and the wicked who would plot, scheme and cheat. In vv23-24 above, Kind David assured us that the wicked may plot our downfall, the Lord is gracious and caring. He will not let us fall even though we may stumble or suffer temporary setbacks. Ultimately, the Lord will hold us with His hand, and He will make our steps firm. The Lord will do this to all His people who delights and are faithful to Him. This is a great assurance and hope for anyone who faces temporary setbacks or obstacles. There could be times when we may face one set of problems after another. And people may oppose what we are doing. But these verses remind us that we are to seek God and remain close and faithful to Him regardless of our circumstances, and the Lord will make firm our steps. The Lord will uphold us in His right hand and He will not let us fall and face defeat.

Mary Fulton was born in 1854 in Ohio, USA. At an early age, she answered God’s call to become a medical missionary. In May 1884, she was sent as a missionary to South China. She was sent to start a mission outpost in Guangxi province – an area where no other missionaries had been before and that was known to be hostile to foreigners. Mary quickly established a dispensary for medication and a treatment room when she rented two rooms in a mud house as a means to reach out to the local people. It was through such humble beginnings that began her mission work. Within 2 years, she and others raised enough funds to build a hospital. But just before the hospital’s opening, a violent gang attacked the mission outpost. They also started a local riot against the missionaries by claiming that the medical outpost wanted to mutilate human bodies for the sake of medicine. 

It was a major setback for Mary and the missionaries but they trusted in the Lord. They were able to escape the riot and did not suffer any serious injury. They went to Shanghai and later Guangzhou. Trusting in the Lord, she opened a medical training centre called the Kwangtung Medical School for women in 1901. Later, in faith, she raised enough money to build the Hackett Medical College for Women. She also raised money to build the Augusta Fulton Memorial Church in Shanghai in 1917. She was an example of someone whom God held in His hand and who made her steps firm as she served the Lord in China at a difficult time.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, thank you for holding us in your hand and making our steps firm. Please help us to trust in you even in the face of setbacks and trials. For you are with us, and you will never forsake us. We pray this in the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen 

Questions

  1. What setbacks and obstacles do you face? Share.
  2. How will you trust and depend upon the Lord in your current circumstances trusting that He will not let you fall? 
  3. Why is it better to trust in the Lord than trust in other people to get you out of trouble? Discuss.
  4. How has God helped you out of your troubles in the past?