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Verse:The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore. —Psalm 121:7, 8, NKJV
During the divine service one Sabbath morning, I received Psalm 121:7, 8 as a promise from the Lord. I thanked Him and felt happy, not knowing how much this promise would come to mean over the following months. I remembered the Jewish custom of writing Deuteronomy 6:4–9 and 11:13–21 from the Torah on the doorposts of their homes so that every time they left or entered, they would remember that they were people who lived in a covenant relationship with God. To this day they still keep the custom of touching the mezuzah, which contains the scripture passages placed on the doorpost, and reciting Psalm 121:8.
So I began to memorize the verses the Lord had given me. However, my interest in deeply understanding the message was heightened eight months later when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. My first reaction to hearing the news was to remember the promise from the Lord. I came home, retreated to the library, grabbed my Bible, and read Psalm 121 a few times. I prayed, wept, and tried to figure out what God was trying to convey to me in the context of the illness ravaging my body. I stayed there until a few thoughts came to my mind. First, God is my Keeper who will not allow my feet to slip. He never slumbers or sleeps. He is awake 24/7 and watches over me. And finally, God is trustworthy because He is the Creator.
He knows me and knows exactly the path of my life—so why should I fear? Armed with these assurances, I felt encouraged and energized to walk through the valley of the shadow of death with peace, not fear. I began to investigate what I needed for the fight ahead: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. With the moral support of my family and the promises of God, I got through the ordeal. Now, six years later, I feel well.
But the most important thing I learned was that God cared for not only my body but also my soul. He taught me to trust in His promises and to overcome my fear, anxiety, and discouragement. My dear ones, love the Word of the Lord.
Hold fast to His promises and rejoice in each day, for it is a gift from Him.
Elena Petrescu