We Have Been Given a Banner

Scripture:
You have made the earth tremble;
You have broken it;
Heal its breaches, for it is shaking.
You have shown Your people hard things;
You have made us drink the wine of confusion.

You have given a banner to those who fear You,
That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah

Psalm 60:2-4

Observation: The psalm begins by discussing the disarray of the earth, and how the Lord's hand had made it tremble. The psalmist (David) asks the Lord to help heal it, as the people themselves are confused and scared of the things that have happened. And then in verse 4, he calls out the fact ... those who fear the Lord have been given a banner, so that the truth of the Lord may be displayed and announced.

Application: This is the anthem of the COVID-19 pandemic. The earth has been shaken and trembles. It is a worldwide event full of hard things, which has sent people into hiding for fear and confusion. And yet, the universal church of Jesus Christ has been given a banner, and that is the banner of hope! The hope lies in the truth of salvation, and we even have the platforms and capabilities to carry that banner so that it can be seen throughout all the world via online streaming and videos.

More people are watching pastor messages than ever before, due to the pandemic, the hope of the message, and the ability to deliver that message. This wasn't true for David ... any banner would have simply been a large flag. Yet in our broken, trembling, fearful, confusing, hard trial, every banner can be seen by tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands, and collectively they are seen by billions.

As those who fear the Lord, we - the Church, our church, and I myself - have been given a banner. It will be displayed because of the truth of Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Lord, I pray now for our actions and my actions in the world, that our confidence and hope will be seen by all, and they will seek your face. Be with our drive-in prayer meeting tonight, that we may bring your spirit back to our church campus, that we may honor your name in prayer and love, and that we may use it as a witness to any and all that would see our hope. Amen.