God's Regards

Psalm 41:1 Blessed is he who has regard for the weak.

regard:
1. to look upon or think of with a particular feeling: to regard a person with favor.
2. to have or show respect or concern for.
3. to think highly of; esteem.
4. to take into account; consider.

1 Corinthians 1:27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

The world does not teach us to take care of others. It teaches us that the weak are prey and only the strong survive. God turns that around and tells us that only in our weakness can He be strong through us, for He will not share His glory with another. He will be known as Lord, the strong one, the Almighty One. And from His vantage point of strength, He has regard for the weak. We who are strengthened by Him are to emulate Him and have regard for the weak.

Psalm 41:1b "The Lord delivers him in times of trouble." Trouble comes to all of us. "In this world you will have trouble." Sometimes it is of our own making, but there is enough to go around, even when we walk circumspectly. Problems come, situations arise, we find ourselves in the midst of a whirling, escalating set of circumstances that leave us no obvious way out. These times allow us to turn to God and give Him the pleasure of rescuing us, of making a way where there seems to be no way. And the peace that He gives us as we are walking out the solution is a testimony to those who are observers, supportive and otherwise, of what God does, and who He is, in our lives and in our hearts. "But take heart! I have overcome the world." But if we disregard the weak, we cannot qualify for His promise.

Psalm 41:2a "The Lord will protect him and preserve his life;" The forces of heaven are arrayed to protect and defend those whom God declares to be His own. While we think primarily in the physical realm, with all that we can see and hear and touch, God is teaching us that all which is visible and measurable will pass away. The things we cannot measure are eternal: love, joy, peace, relationships, compassion, mercy, as well as their opposites. We must give attention to these things and not let them slide. These are the gold, silver, and precious stones that constitute treasure in heaven from which no thief can steal. The resources of heaven sustain us in times of need, even when our natural fortunes may have their ups and downs. God will not suffer His children to be touched or harmed in any way that causes permanent spiritual harm. But if we do not show respect or concern for the weak, we distance ourselves from His care.

Psalm 41:2b "He will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes." For us in these last days, the land of promise is the country of our thoughts and emotions, the landscape of our character where God desires to establish His kingdom. To have God's nature manifested in our lives, shown in the words we speak and the actions we take as the Spirit brings life and liberty to those we pray for in obedience to His prompting is to have God bless us in the land. The former inhabitants of the realm, the principalities and powers of the air who have influenced our thoughts and actions and choices from a young age, are not willing to go, and have no interest in being quiet about it. Their desire is not only to stay, but to defile the land even more. God will not surrender those who call upon His name nor allow them to be overcome or defeated, but if we do not cry "Lord! Lord!" in truth and in deed, showing God's esteem for the weak and shunning pride in our own strength, we are allying ourselves with the foe and will be in their camps and cities when God gives them their recompense.

Psalm 41:3a "The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed" Illness is a part of this broken world. Our flesh is subject to aging and deterioration. It is appointed for man to die once. That is the legal right Adam ceded to Death, and all who are born of Adam are bound by that agreement. But our dual nature gives us the hope of heaven in the promise of Christ through Jesus' victory on the cross at Calvary. Although our flesh is heir to the penalty of original sin, our spirits are made alive in God and our souls are redeemed by the blood sacrifice of the Lamb of God who became the sin offering for each of us, having much more than enough value to meet the debt requirement. Although our flesh will sicken, our soul is healed. And this weakness that is common to man gives each of us the basis, through experience, to have consideration for those who are ill, to visit those who are on their sickbed, to help lighten the load that illness carries with it. If we cannot find in our hearts to empathize, to support and sustain those who need our hand of help, we are far from God and from His promises.

Psalm 41:3b "and restore him from his bed of illness." We are not as those who have no hope. As we walk in the new life that God has birthed inside of us, following where He leads us, as chicks follow their mother, trusting and believing that He loves us and is always with us, we can be used by Him in places that we would not seek or expect. We may be called into accident or injury to have a witness that others cannot deny; we may be called into illness to demonstrate God's power and compassion. We may be called into financial restriction, poverty, to testify to God's unhindered provision. We may walk in sunshine beside gentle waters on green paths among cool breezes and shady trees to give honor to God's grace. He knows what we are capable of dealing with and He does not take us to places He cannot sustain us. Our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe, and as we understand and accept the results of making Him Lord over our lives, we can rejoice in all He does through us as we glory in our weakness.

Loving God, You have regard for us in our weakness. Thank You for being strong through us as we accept the fact that we are weak. You put us on display before the world in ways that accentuate our weakness, so that when You move through us, those around will glorify You, for they know it cannot be us. Thank You for the opportunities You give us to walk along side of those who need You. Thank You for the wisdom and discernment You give us as we read Your word and practice Your presence and simplify our lives, wearing this world loosely, to have more time and attention to give to learn Your ways

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