“My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.” (Job 23:11)
Years ago a discouraged pastor began to falter in his walk with God. His godly wife began to feel the effects of his foray into the far country. She finally served him notice: “You can go to hell if you choose, but you’re not taking me with you.”
Tragedy had taken its toll on Job’s wife. She no doubt told him to curse God because she had thrown in the towel. But we must love our Lord more than spouse, parents, or children. There comes those times when we must declare: “I have decided to follow Jesus; no turning back! Though none go with me, still I will follow!”
David wrote Psalm 57 when he was in a cave, fleeing murderous king Saul. He was not turning away from God in his troubles, he was turning to God. He cried out: “Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.” (Psalm 57:1) There is a day of trouble that the enemy of our soul would use to peel us away from God. But David was determined this was not going to happen to him. He declared: “My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.” (Psalm 57:7) He would make God his refuge until the storm had passed.
We must make up our mind. We must serve notice on the devil. He can take our possessions, our health, even our family; but the one thing he is not going to take away is our love and trust in God. He may slay a thousand to our left, and ten thousand to our right; but we will say of the Lord, “You are my refuge, the God in whom I trust. I am going with You all the way, come hell or high water!”