“One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard, that You, O God, are strong, and that You, O Lord, are loving.” (Ps. 62: 11-12)

We have such a tendency to complicate things that are not really complicated. In these verses from Psalm 62, we have the foundation of faith. By that, I mean that if we believe with our whole self the truth of these verses, we have fulness of faith. They assert two truths. First, that God is strong. God is powerful and able to do all that we need Him to do. Nothing that we need Him to do is too difficult for Him. Absolutely nothing! He is the One who created the mountains with a word. He caused the sun to stand still and the waves to calm. He is strong! Second, that God is loving. What this means personally is that He is on our side, actively working for our good. No action of His toward us comes from any other motivation than His pure, unfiltered love for us.

If we grasp these two truths, everything changes. We have no reason to fear, because He is powerful. We have no reason to be anxious because He is loving. As Paul proclaims, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31) Our future is certain, and our care is assured. Virtually all other truths of faith are contained in these verses. The author of Hebrews echoes the sentiment of these verses when he says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him” (Heb. 11: 6). This is the essence, the foundation of faith.

My struggle with faith always comes on one of these two fronts. In tough times I wonder “Are you really there, Lord?” “Are you mad at me? Out to get me?” I know myself, how fickle I am in my faith and so I doubt His unconditional love for me. My problems seem too big and my faith flounders. When circumstances go south, it is easy to feel abandoned by God. Armed with this verse, “That You, O God, are strong, and that You, O Lord, are loving” I have a weapon to combat my doubts when they come. I meditate and memorize and internalize this truth, and my faith is strengthened. 

Do you believe that He is powerful enough for your every need? Do you believe that He is completely on your side? Embrace on a daily basis the truth, “God is in control, and He is on my side.” Clutch onto on it and don’t let it go whenever life seems out of control and chaotic. Hold onto it in the dark, foreboding quiet of sleepless nights. Claim it when fear sinks its teeth and shortens your breath. Circumstances may be uncertain, and life can be brutal, but this one thing remains, and eternity will prove that “You, O God, are strong, and that You, O Lord, are loving.”