June 16

Morning

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand. — John 10:28 BSB

A Christian should never take unbelief lightly. For a child of God to doubt His love, His truth, or His faithfulness is deeply displeasing to Him. How can we grieve Him by doubting His sustaining grace? Christian, it is contrary to every promise in God's precious Word for you to think you could ever be forgotten or abandoned. If that were possible, how could He be true who said, “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even if she forgets, I will never forget you.” What would be the value of the promise, “The mountains may depart, and the hills be removed, but My steadfast love shall not depart from you, and My covenant of peace shall not be removed”? How could Christ's words be true when He said, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand”? What would happen to the doctrines of grace? They would be disproved if just one child of God were to perish. Where would God’s truth, honor, power, grace, covenant, and oath be if even one person who trusted in Christ were cast away?

Banish those unbelieving fears that dishonor God. Arise, shake off the dust, and clothe yourself in the beautiful garments of faith.

Remember, it is sinful to doubt His Word, in which He has promised that you shall never perish. Let the eternal life within you express itself in joyful confidence.

Evening

The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—whom shall I dread? — Ps 27:1 BSB

Here we see personal assurance—“my light,” “my salvation.” The soul is confident and boldly declares it. At the moment of the new birth, divine light is poured into the soul, signaling the arrival of salvation. Without enough light to reveal our darkness and make us long for the Lord Jesus, there is no evidence of salvation. After conversion, God becomes our joy, comfort, guide, and teacher—He is light within us, light around us, light shining from us, and light yet to be revealed to us.

Notice, it doesn’t say that the Lord simply gives light, but that He is light; nor does it say He just gives salvation, but that He is salvation. Therefore, the one who by faith grasps hold of God has all the blessings of the covenant. Knowing this, the psalmist frames the truth as a question: “Whom shall I fear?” A question that answers itself. We need not fear the powers of darkness, for the Lord, our light, destroys them. Nor should we fear damnation, for the Lord is our salvation.

This is no arrogant boast like Goliath’s, for it rests not on human strength but on the omnipotent power of the great I AM.

“The Lord is the strength of my life.” Here, the writer adds a third powerful description to show how securely his hope is anchored. He binds his hope with a threefold cord that cannot be broken. We too can pile up words of praise when the Lord lavishes us with deeds of grace. Our life draws all its strength from God, and if He chooses to make us strong, no scheme of the enemy can weaken us.

“Of whom shall I be afraid?” This bold question looks ahead as well as to the present. “If God is for us, who can be against us,” now or in the future?