The Grands Letter (Ps/GLJ)
Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D. on July 12, 2026 5:01 am (CST)
Dear Grands,
Psalm 115:9-18, “You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield.
12 The LORD has been mindful of us; He will bless us; He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron.
13 He will bless those who fear the LORD, the small together with the great.
14 May the LORD give you increase, you and your children.
15 May you be blessed of the LORD, Maker of heaven and earth.
16 The heavens are the heavens of the LORD, but the earth He has given to the sons of men.
17 The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any who go down into silence;
18 But as for us, we will bless the LORD from this time forth and forever. Praise the LORD!”
When was the last time you actually praised the LORD? Was it when you learned that a loved one was not seriously hurt? –or that a friend had received a long-awaited promotion at work? Quite honestly, we don’t openly praise the LORD for many of the things for which He deserves our praise, do we? Far too often, we exhale heavily while saying, “That was close!” or “Wow, that could have been disastrous!”
The Psalmist reminds us to fear and trust the LORD. He is our Preserver and Defender even when we’re not aware of our needs. Perhaps, someday in Heaven, He will allow us to review the innumerable instances where He directed and preserved our lives, avoiding serious disasters. Yet, even now, we are aware of dangerous situations that might have occurred, but didn’t because He was watching over us.
At the same time, having the LORD as our constant Protector should not cause us to trivialize how we conduct ourselves. Taking “chances,” for example, where there is no reasonable purpose, simply amounts to foolish presumption. Sometimes, the LORD may allow injury to occur to cause us to be more mindful of danger that lurks around the corner. I’m sure He would rather that we conduct ourselves properly at all times – always trusting Him, but not presuming on His protection.
Heartily in Christ,
Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
United States of America
“We will never know that Christ is all we need, until He becomes all that we have.” –Corrie ten Boom
