NCFI Cares

bi-monthly devotions for health care providers through NCFI

NCFI Cares: A Red Letter Moment

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Psalm 91:14 The Lord says,
“Because he is devoted to me, I will deliver him; I will protect him because
he is loyal (know) to me.

In previous
sections of Psalm 91 the teacher or psalmist instructed and encouraged us using
his teaching points. Our lesson plan included comparing the protection of the
Lord to a mother bird and the Lord’s security to a fortress. We were recently
reminded that the Lord will even send his angels to our aid. Now at verse 14,
we see a change in the narration with the use of “I” or the phrase “Lord says”.
It is as if our teacher has stepped aside to invite the Lord to continue our
lesson. And like a classroom filled with restless students that suddenly quiet
when the principal walks in, the reader is beckoned to pay attention.

            This sudden
introduction of the Master and Scholar has personally come to emphasize our lesson.
Like the red letter print used to signify the words of Jesus in the New
Testament, these are the words of Yahweh. As students, our teaching lesson has
changed from a group discourse to an intimate moment from the One who reaches
out to us individually in love and patience to emphasize his truth. A quick
reader can miss this interruption. So let’s take time and wait to see what our
Master has to say. 

Blessings

NCFI Cares: Strengthened by Angels

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Psalm 91:11-13 For he will order his angels to protect you in all you do. They will lift you up in their hands, so you will not slip and fall on a stone. You will subdue a lion and a snake; you will trample underfoot a young lion and a serpent.

            We have explored the many dangers we can experience and the Lord’s promise of protection and strength. One way the Lord miraculously can choose to intervene with us is through angels. The foremost witness of the work of the angels is seen in the life and ministry of Jesus. From conception, through childhood, emerging during his temptation and then reappearing during his suffering and resurrection we see angels appearing in Jesus’ life to assist in the unfolding plan of God. The Lord also sent angels to assist Peter in prison in Acts 12:7-10, protect Paul during his ship wreck in Acts 27:23 and to guide Cornelius to salvation in Acts 10:7.

            As believers, the Lord can send angels to protect, strengthen and guide us (Hebrews 1:14). Our faith rests securely in the Lord God Almighty who governs all created beings in heaven and earth. And intimately sends heavenly beings to encourage our journey.

            At times we may be tempted to inquire about “Did angels do this?” or “Was that a miracle?” Our response to the Lord’s hand in our lives is to praise and thank him while leaving the details up to him (Revelation 22:7-8). 

NCFI Cares: My Shelter, the Sovereign One

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Psalm 91:9-10 For you have taken refuge in the Lord, my shelter, the sovereign One. No
harm will overtake you; no illness will come near your home.

 Our testimony is more than a way to bring the lost into the saving grace of Christ.
It is also more than our “salvation” story. It is a constantly changing
expression of how the Lord is working in our lives. Our testimony is a continuous
narrative of our faith journey filled with valleys of sadness and peaks of joys.
These times can be Godly intercessions for us personally and professionally,
and may also include family, colleagues and/or patients. Whether our family is
protected from an accident, our patients are healed from an illness and/or a
colleague finds cancer in the early stages. The Lord’s will intersecting in our
day-to-day events is opportunities to share. When we tell others the mighty
deeds of the Almighty we build up their faith and encourage their spiritual
growth (Psalm 145:4; 1 Cor. 1:4).
I encourage you to take time and reflect on a recent time the Lord has strengthened and/or encouraged you as a Christian nurse. Pray for the opportunity to share with a colleague how
“my shelter, the Sovereign One” worked in your nursing practice. Like the
writer of the 91st Psalm, we can use our life journey of living in
the refuge of the Lord as a teaching tool for our patients and colleagues.        

NCFI Cares: Protecting Our Redemption

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Psalm 91:7-8 Though a thousand may fall
beside you, and a multitude on your right side, it will not
reach you. Certainly you will
see it with your very own eyes –you will see the wicked paid back.
The Psalmist continues
his description of the immeasurable protection of our Magnificent Lord. The use
of “thousand, ten thousand or multitude” implies an infinite number of ways the
Lord intercedes for us. Our greatest danger is from Satan, who prowls around
seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). Our salvation and faithfulness is of
supreme importance to the Lord. In Luke 22:31-32, Jesus prays specifically for
Peter to return to his faith after being sifted like wheat. Also, in John
17:15, Jesus prays to the Father to keep the disciples and us from the evil
one.
Working in tandem with the evil of Satan is the Lord’s judgment. How this
occurs is more than we can fathom; for God’s judgments and conduct is beyond
our understanding (Romans 11:33-34/Isaiah 55:9). It also is part of the
redemptive plan (Revelation).
W.A. VanGermeren, Professor of Old Testament writes, “Seeing God’s salvation
with the eye of faith will further encourage the godly, whom the Lord has
promised his protection and blessing. The godly will witness the righteousness,
justice, and fidelity of the Lord as well as the punishment of the wicked. No
power in heaven or earth is greater than that of Yahweh, the Divine
Warrior!” 
So in the middle of a song of praise and protection, we are
encouraged that redemption from the Lord is faithful to secure us while
condemning the wicked.

NCFI Cares: 24/7 Protection

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91:5-6 “You need not fear the terrors
of the night, the arrow that flies by day, the plague that comes in the
darkness,or the disease that comes at noon.”

            We have
been discovering strength found in the Lord’s names, Most High and Almighty. We
also have seen how the Lord demonstrates security as a fortress, rescuer and as
our wise guardian. Our verses this week reveal what the Lord protects us from.
The goal in delving into these verses is not to be specific and think of only
plagues or disease as part of our protection. The psalmist used symbolic
language to define the vastness of dread and destruction that can come into our
lives. The writer understood that we live on a planet with chaos and death. We
are helpless against dangerous volcanoes, vicious earthquakes, and damaging
tsunamis. We share communities with evil men and women who purposefully cause
us pain and suffering. And these are just a few of the terrors and dread that
encompasses our life.

            Yet…and
thankfully, yet we have the Lord’s 24/7 protection with an eternal, around the
clock vigilance. While reading these specific phrases “terrors of night”,
“diseases at noon” we see the magnitude of protection in the seen and unseen,
the natural and unnatural. A reminder of God’s care is found in Exodus.  Where we see the Lord use extraordinary
measures to protect and guide the Israelites through much fear and calamity; their testimony encourages our faith and trust. 

 

NCFI Cares: Rest in Truth

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Psalm 91:4 “He will shelter you with his wings; you will find safety under his wings. His faithfulness is like a shield or a protective wall.”

          Have you ever seen an adult bird tuck a baby bird under
their wings? The adult bird has the strength of being larger and mature; has
acquired life-learning wisdom; and is alert to the surrounding dangers. The
baby chick rests securely, for it is weak and vulnerable depending on its
parent for sustenance, and has no knowledge of anything beyond the warmth and
security of the parent. I always think that is true protection.

            In the
simple, yet intimate life of a bird, we are given another source of God’s
protection—his faithfulness. Some bibles use “truth” meaning stability,
firmness and reliability.  At first we
may be confused to think that the word “truth” is interchangeable with the word
“faithfulness.” Yet, isn’t that where the strength and security of our Lord
comes from, is truth. The divine instruction of the Bible and the authenticity
of Jesus Christ are truth and define the faithfulness of God.

            Romans 3:3
reminds us of the indescribable law at work with God’s faithfulness—it isn’t
dependent upon the believer. For whether we believe or not, God’s faithfulness
does not change. We are to be the baby bird. The difference for us is how we
rest…are we secure and content like a baby bird under its mother’s wings? Or
are we panicking constantly peeking between the feathers to make sure all is
okay?

NCFI Cares: Our Rescuer

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“…he will certainly rescue you from the snare of
the hunter and from the destructive plague.” Psalm 91:3

       Have you
ever been caught off guard or surprised? Maybe it was a sudden accident? Notice
of losing your job? Unfortunately many of life’s painful events come to us suddenly
and without warning. Whether it is a threat to our personal or family’s well
being; a loss of job; or a natural disaster that destroys are home and
community—shock is the element. As occupants on this earth we are vulnerable to
the unknown and sudden tragedies that await us like a trap for a rabbit.

            If the
unknown does not frighten you, what about the microscopic? As health care
providers we are all too aware of the destruction of diseases and illness. A virus
or bacteria can wreck havoc to an unsuspecting victim. Whether in the water we
drink, the food we eat, or the air we breathe we are vulnerable to the
unsuspecting destruction of the smallest organisms on the planet. In the 21st
Century, an epidemic is still one of our greatest threats to human health.

            These two
scenarios found in Psalm 91:3 are enough to cause fear and panic.  And, once again we are reminded where our
security rests. In our Rescuer–Jesus Christ!  We are protected in his hand. Not immune to
disasters, but secure in his ever present providence (Hebrews 13:5; 2
Corinthians 2:10). Even though we are vulnerable to the tragedies of this
world, we have a secured eternal place with him.  

 Blessings,

Carrie

p.s. I mentioned last time about connecting truth contained
in our minds to our heart. A great way to have truth easily accessible to our
heart is to memorize scripture. As we walk verse-by-verse through Psalm 91, I
encourage you to memorize it with me. 

 

NCFI Cares: My God in whom I trust

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A military wall or high strong fence is a means of protection. It prevents enemies or vicious animals from coming inside the protected area. Those inside the protected area are secure from whatever is on the other side of the wall or fence. If the wall or fence has holes or is weak, the people inside the protected area are vulnerable. We know in our minds that the Lord is a refuge and fortress. Yet at times we have doubt or we allow fear to break into our fortress. One way we can remind ourselves of the strength of the Lord, is to say it out loud. “I will say to the Lord, my refuge and my fortress…” (Ps 91:2)

            There is strength and guidance when we speak to the Lord and recognize his protection. It is not as if the Lord provides a sudden barrier, like in action movies. Nor, is it found in our nursing knowledge or skills. The writer of the psalm or song used 4 different titles for the Lord: Most High, Almighty, the Lord, and God–these names represent the power of our Creator God and the endearing Love of our Covenant God. God’s name and character is the fortress.

            Through our spoken words, our heart grabs onto that which our mind already knows—The Almighty, the Most High is our sanctuary. When our heart and mind recognize this priceless truth we can say with confidence…”My God in whom I trust”

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NCFI Cares: The Shelter of the Most High

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He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91

Psalm 91 is a song of trust and hope that guides us in understanding our God and the protection he provides. It is not a guarantee that nothing bad will happen to us. Instead it is, as one bible scholar states “no fear and no fall”. This spiritual covering is a protection from the elements outside the Lord’s hand. We do not have to be afraid of what comes our way in this life.

Our God is the Almighty, the Supreme Being and Ruler of everything on earth and in heaven (1 Chronicles 29:11-13). And we have a choice to dwell with Him. Not just a onetime choice at salvation, but a daily surrender to the Most High. This choice brings the assurance of abiding with the Lord (1 John 4:15).Yes, pain and suffering may befall us, but we rest in the confidence that our Lord is in control and we can rest in the shadow of his presence.

During recent personal events, the Lord opened my heart to the wisdom and blessing of His security with Psalm 91. As the Lord continues to encourage me, I will encourage you with the strength and assurance each verse provides. My prayer is that His blessing will spill over to your colleagues, patients and family; for truly our cup runs over (Psalm 23:5).

NCFI Cares: Nurses’ Day Blessing

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As an organization of international nurses, NCFI is especially aware of the sacrifices men and women have made to provide nursing care for all people. We recognize the time and energy it takes to travel to provide care to people in remote, the challenge to support families with difficult choices, and the commitment to teach the next generation of nurses. We understand the long hours and dedication to achieve excellence in Christian nursing. Our hearts are filled with joy as the Lord works in each one of you. Every day and especially this day, we want to provide a special blessing and anointed word over you. Hopefully, wherever you are or whatever you are doing this week, you will take time to hear the following Nurses’ Day Blessing from NCFI for you:

                      “NCFI leaders and staff give thanks to God daily for each nurse.  They come into the presence of God,our Father to pray for the nurses within NCFI and those who have yet to be blessed by the organization. As fellow nurses they are constantly aware of your work of faith in being obedient to God’s will in your life and the labor of love you joyfully carry out for your patients and families. They pray that you remain steadfastness with hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring fruit to your labors and strength to your journey. amen (modifications to 1 Thess 1:3)