Anxiety and the Keeper of Israel

REFLECTION QUOTES

“It did what all ads are supposed to do: create an anxiety relievable by purchase.”

~David Foster Wallace, Infinite Jest

“Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom.”

~Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), Danish philosopher and theologian

“There’s a lot of status anxiety…these days. People live suspended between…being deluged in communication and the agony of receiving none. They have always wanted to be liked, but now they must also be ‘liked.’ They exist under the digital pressure of reciprocal judgment, a state that knows no repose.”

~Roger Cohen in “The New York Times,” 5-26-2015

“To hear the phrase ‘our only hope’ always makes one anxious, because it means that if the only hope doesn’t work, there is nothing left.”

~Lemony Snicket, The Blank Book

“Worrying is carrying tomorrow’s load with today’s strength—carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”

~Corrie ten Boom (1892-1983), Nazi death camp survivor

“Anxiety’s like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it doesn’t get you very far.”

~Jodi Picoult, Sing You Home

“Man sleeps; a sentinel may slumber on his post…; a pilot may slumber at the helm; even a mother may fall asleep by the side of the sick child; but God is never exhausted, is never weary, is never inattentive. He never closes his eyes on the condition of his people, on the wants of the world.”

~Albert Barnes (1798-1870), pastor of 1st Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia

“The…protector of the church in general, is engaged for the preservation of every particular believer; the same wisdom, the same power, the same promises. ‘He that keepeth Israel’, ‘is thy keeper’. The Shepherd of the flock is the Shepherd of every sheep, and will take care that not one, even of the little ones, shall perish.”

~Matthew Henry (1662-1714) on Psalm 121

SERMON PASSAGE

Psalm 121 (NASB)

1 I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come?

2 My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not allow your foot to slip;
He who keeps you will not slumber.

4 Behold, He who keeps Israel
Will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade on your right hand.

6 The sun will not smite you by day,
Nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will protect you from all evil;
He will keep your soul.

8 The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in
From this time forth and forever.