I recall a certain time, not long ago, when life seemed particularly stormy and forbidding for me, and all my most cherished dreams seemed to be vanishing in the thickening gloom that was rapidly gathering around me. At that time, I seemed to be focused on the stormy sea, rather than on the One who walks upon the boisterous waves. On a certain day, as I ruminated on the issues that were so weighty and troubling to my thoughts, I suddenly heard the sounds of geese, flying low in the skies above my head. They were gathering into formation, following a circular course above our neighborhood, and honking wildly as they flew. As I turned my face to the heavens, I could hear the reports of their ever-changing position as they circled above me, and at once, I thought to myself how good it would be to take to the air like one of those, and fly to some safe and distant place to rest. I recalled the lines of the old, Gospel song, “I’ll Fly Away”, and longed for the peace and rest of heaven.

In Psalm 55, we read of a time in David’s life, when he was in the midst of a very great trial. I believe this to have been a time when family and trusted friends had turned against the great king, and now they sought his life. We read in verses 12-14, “For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company”.

What tormented David’s soul was apparently not so much that his life was being threatened by those who opposed him, but more that these “enemies” had once been trusted friends; they were from the king’s own house. Such things so weighed on David that his very soul cried out for relief. In verses 6-8, we hear the heart’s prayer of the king longing for deliverance and rest: “And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah. I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest”.

My dear friend, have you ever felt like this? Did you ever feel that the troubles and trials of life so mounted up on you that you could see no real hope of relief from your stress and sorrow, and you just longed for deliverance and rest. Like David of old, perhaps you longed for wings like a dove, that you might fly far from your troubles, and find shelter in some safe haven where you might have a time of respite from the whirlwind before you. Perhaps you are struggling just now, as you read these lines, because some loved ones or trusted friends have turned on you, or you have been falsely accused by those who were once on your side. Remember, our Lord Jesus Himself was once rejected by those He came to save: “He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not,” (John 1:10,11). Our Lord Jesus knows well the pain and sorrows of this world, as we read in Hebrews 4:15: “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin”.

Is it rest you seek, my dear friend? Perhaps that word “rest” sounds very good to you just now. If so, just listen to the comforting invitation as our Lord Jesus calls to you in Matthew 11:28, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” In Hebrews 4:16, we are invited to come to Him at any time when we are in need of His Grace and help: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need”.

Going back to Psalm 55, we observe the case of David, one of God’s beloved children, who was unjustly accused and persecuted by those who were unrighteous, who sought their own gain at the king’s expense. But, rather than flying away, escaping to a place of safety, resigning the battle field to the unrighteous, the Spirit of God would bring David to call upon the Lord, the only One who truly knew his situation, and the only One who could truly deliver. We read in verses 16-17, “As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice”.

My dear friend, are you discouraged or frightened by the trial that is before you just now? Then, like David of old, the Spirit of God would bid you to call upon the Lord for deliverance. Do not be surprised by difficult times when these come. If you are a child of God, you will surely experience disappointments, dangers, and rejection in this scene. We live in a fallen world that is no friend of Grace, yet we are not left on our own, to fear and flee before the enemy’s threatening demonstrations. In 2 Corinthians 12:9, Paul recalled a lesson of dependence , which is good for us to learn as well. The Lord responded to Paul’s requests for the removal of a trial, saying: “…My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me”.

My dear Christian friend, in those times that try the soul, hold fast to Psalm 55:22—this verse is for you to cling to just now: “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved”. Again, we are reminded to cast all our cares on Him, “for He careth for you,” (1 Peter 5:7). It takes faith to cast your burdens on the Lord when all around you seems so threatening, but you can be assured that you will not stand alone in the trial that is before you. All who have trusted Christ as their Savior, can, regardless of the nature of their distress, call upon the One who never changes; who will never, never break His covenant with His people. He will never suffer His children to be moved, come what may in this world. Just think how blessed you and I truly are! Each of us, that is every child of God, can have total confidence in the abiding presence of the Lord, regardless of the difficult circumstance or trial through which we may be required to pass.

But now, what if you have never trusted Christ Jesus as your Savior? If that is your case, I must tell you that you are facing a problem which is actually much more serious than all the disappointments and frustrations of life put together. This problem is one for which there is no remedy on earth, namely sin. The Good News is that God has seen us in our need and has sent His Son to be our Savior, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). Will you accept God’s remedy which is being offered to you right now? That remedy is Jesus, and He is the only One that can help. In Acts 4:12 we read, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” It is my prayer for you that you receive the Lord Jesus as your Savior just now. We read in John 1:12, “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name….”

“Some bright morning when this life is over
I’ll fly away,
To that home on Gods celestial shore,
I’ll fly away.”
–Albert E. Brumley