Home-Court Advantage
The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?... It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. ~Psalm 118:6, 8
Everyone knows that playing on your home court gives you a superior advantage over your opponent. There are the advantages of the familiarity, the fans, and the favor. This morning, we want to see how we have the home-court advantage when we have complete trust and faith in God in all things.
There are the inevitable adversities.
The psalmist said, “I called upon the LORD in my distress.” The word "distress" has the idea of a problem that is much bigger than us: a problem that has no immediate solution; a problem that leaves us sitting on pins and needles. Problems and difficulties are inevitable. They cannot be adequately planned for and when they come into our life, we are left with a sense of fear and insecurity.
There is the intimate approach.
“I called upon the LORD in my distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place.” The first thing that we must do is to take our problem to the Lord. God is always there waiting to hear from us. The psalmist learned that God was waiting for him to call on God, and when he did, God took him from the place of fear to the place of certainty. Prayer in distress sets the problem on a level playing field. It brings us to the place where we now have the home-court advantage.
There is the impressive advantage.
“The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?” Think of that: the Lord is on my side! With the Lord on my side, no giant is too big to conquer. With the Lord on my side, there is no Red Sea that is impassable. With the Lord on my side, there is no army that cannot be overcome. With the Lord on my side, I am never outmanned, outnumbered, or outmatched! We have the home-court advantage. We are safeguarded. We have control of the ball. We have an impressive advantage.
There is the impeccable advice.
“It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.” Problems teach us the superiority of trusting God completely for the best outcome. God is infinite; man is not. God is all wise; man is not. God has my best interest at heart: man does not. God brings me through the valleys victoriously: man cannot. When we trust in the Lord, the outcome is always in our favor. Men will fail us. Men will desert us. Men will give us bad counsel. Trusting the Lord in everything is the best thing that we can do.
How much do you trust God? Do you trust Him only when you can see ahead? Do you trust Him only when you are out of options? Take a moment today, and realize that it is better to trust in the Lord than put confidence in man. Realize that you have the home-court advantage every time you trust in Him.
Have a faith-empowered God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Psalm 32-35