Let's Pretend (5/20/26)

Devotional

Day 1: When the "What If?" Breaks

The disciples huddled behind locked doors, breath shallow, palms damp. Jesus stood among them—alive, scarred, real. “Peace,” He said. Their fear dissolved like fog in sunlight. He showed them His wounds, ate broiled fish. Doubt turned to awe as they touched resurrection flesh. [14:07]

Jesus meets us in our locked rooms—places of fear, failure, or shame. His scars prove He enters brokenness without condemnation. Risen flesh means no darkness is too deep for His light to pierce.

Where do you hide from Christ’s presence? What “locked door” do you clutch shut, fearing His reaction?

“Jesus himself stood among them and said, ‘Peace to you.’ They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself!’”
(Luke 24:36-38, NIV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to reveal His presence in your most barricaded place.
Challenge: Write one fear on paper, then tear it up while whispering “Peace.”

Day 2: Torrents That Can’t Drown

The woman clutched her water jar, throat tight. Five husbands couldn’t fill her thirst. Jesus asked for a drink, then offered living water. Her shame became a spring as she ran to town, jar abandoned. The disciples returned, bewildered by her zeal. [17:13]

Jesus redirects floods of regret into rivers of purpose. What others call “too broken,” He calls “chosen vessel.” The same mouth that confessed sin proclaimed Messiah.

When has Christ turned your flood into a fountain? What heavy jar do you still carry?

“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
(John 4:13-14, NIV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for one specific failure He redeemed.
Challenge: Pour a glass of water today. Drink slowly, remembering His living water.

Day 3: Escaping the Fowler’s Snare

Peter stood by the fire, three denials bitter on his tongue. The rooster crowed. Jesus turned—their eyes met across the courtyard. Peter fled, weeping. But three days later, the snare broke. “Feed my sheep,” Jesus said, restoring him with each command. [17:43]

Christ’s gaze dismantles traps of guilt. Satan’s accusations crumble before His “I forgive.” Restoration isn’t earned—it’s received through scarred hands.

What accusation plays on loop in your mind? How might Jesus’ direct gaze silence it?

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
(Psalm 18:2, NIV)

Prayer: Confess one recurring guilt aloud, then say “Christ’s blood covers this.”
Challenge: Text someone “God isn’t done with us yet” before noon.

Day 4: Providence in the Wound

Jacob limped toward Esau, hip throbbing from the angel’s touch. His scheming hands now clung to blessing. The brother he’d cheated ran to embrace him. The limp remained—a mark of surrender, a gateway to peace. [42:45]

God wounds to heal. What we call detours, He calls destiny. Our scars become signposts for others’ journeys.

What “limp” do you resent that God might use for guidance?

“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
(Romans 8:28, NIV)

Prayer: Name one painful memory and ask “How can this glorify You?”
Challenge: Share a “divine detour” story with someone under 25 today.

Day 5: The Name That Splits Snares

Paul and Silas sang, chains cutting their wrists. Midnight. Earthquake. Chains fell. The jailer drew his sword—until Paul shouted “Don’t harm yourself!” The man fell trembling: “What must I do to be saved?” [50:23]

The name of Jesus breaks chains and births dawns. Our prisons become pulpits when we worship through wounds.

What prison have you deemed “too dark” for worship?

“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
(Philippians 2:10-11, NIV)

Prayer: Pray “Jesus, break chains here” over a struggling friend’s photo.
Challenge: Whisper “Jesus” aloud three times when anxiety strikes today.

Sermon Summary

Psalm 124 sets the tone with a simple what if. “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,” Israel would have been swallowed alive, swept away by flood, and trapped like a bird in a snare. That thought experiment, like playing pretend for a minute, lets the text show what God’s protection has really been doing all along. The images stack up to make the point from different angles. Devouring teeth, raging waters, a sprung trap. Each picture says the same thing in its own way: without the Lord’s help, the journey of faith does not survive the journey.

The psalm then aims that truth at a disciple’s life. The struggle usually starts with something concrete. A diagnosis. A pink slip. A betrayal. If the Lord’s protection is not sought, those physical circumstances often bleed into the inner life. Anxiety, sleepless fruitless scheming, despair. The psalm’s language about the soul escaping hints where this finally lands. Left unattended, a physical problem turns emotional, then spiritual. What began as life going sideways turns into a heart going dry.

But the Lord’s help is not late help. Protection can show up at any step in that slide, sometimes even when no one asked yet. The text names five cords to grab. First, the Lord’s presence. He is with his people in the pain, even when the pain does not budge. That presence is not sentimental comfort, it is steadying reality. Second, the Lord’s sovereignty. He still has the final say when the world looks berserk. That truth pulls the weight of control off a tired soul. Third, the Lord’s providence. Sovereignty is his right to rule; providence is his hand guiding the details. In real life, providence can look like a sliced leg at second base turning into a coaching invite, which later turned into a family. No one would choose that route, but God used it.

Fourth, the Lord is not only protector, but deliverer. The snare breaks. Even when foolish choices have already sprung the trap, grace can still set a disciple free. Finally, the Lord’s name holds the help. “Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” The name carries his authority, his character, his power. In the long night of worry, speaking his name is not a charm, it is a way of standing under who he actually is. In short, Israel’s song says the road is dangerous, but the Lord keeps travelers.

Key Takeaways

1. What if God were absent? The psalm plays pretend to reveal reality. By imagining life without the Lord’s help, the text exposes how often unseen mercy has kept disaster from closing in. Gratitude grows when the what if is faced head on and answered with praise. [15:21]
2. Trouble cascades toward the soul Unchecked, hard circumstances move from body to emotions to spirit. The drift into anxiety and despair is not neutral, it becomes a spiritual fight. Naming that progression early invites the Lord’s help before the heart goes dry. [30:10]
3. Presence, sovereignty, providence steady hearts God is with his people, rules over all, and guides the details toward his ends. Sovereignty lifts the burden to control, while providence makes sense of strange turns that later prove kind. Those truths let a disciple stand in storms without pretending the storm is small. [38:30]
4. God delivers, not only protects The snare breaks. Even when folly has already trapped a life, grace can still open the cage and lead out. Protection keeps danger at bay; deliverance rescues when danger has landed. [46:17]
5. The name of the Lord protects “Help” is tied to God’s own name, which carries his character and authority. Praying and standing in that name is not magic, it is alignment with the real King who made heaven and earth. In the restless night, his name holds more weight than the fears do. [47:19]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[05:29] - Prayer for bereaved and ill
[10:22] - Psalm 123 quiz and memory verse
[12:02] - Psalm 124: what if God not with us
[15:21] - Enemies would swallow, flood, snare
[17:43] - Escape from the fowler’s snare
[18:44] - Two kinds of protection named
[22:51] - When life circumstances start the slide
[25:22] - Anxiety and despair take root
[29:52] - The fight turns spiritual
[32:12] - God protects at any point
[37:15] - Presence, sovereignty, providence explained
[46:17] - Not just protector, but deliverer
[47:19] - Help in the name of the Lord
[51:35] - Closing prayers and sending

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Psalm 124 (ESV)
1 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side—
let Israel now say—
2 if it had not been the Lord who was on our side
when people rose up against us,
3 then they would have swallowed us up alive,
when their anger was kindled against us;
4 then the flood would have swept us away,
the torrent would have gone over us;
5 then over us would have gone
the raging waters.
6 Blessed be the Lord,
who has not given us
as prey to their teeth!
7 We have escaped like a bird
from the snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken,
and we have escaped!
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.

Observation Questions

What three vivid metaphors does Psalm 124 use to describe the dangers Israel would have faced without God’s protection? ([15:21] / [17:43])
According to the sermon, what three truths about God (presence, sovereignty, providence) help steady believers during struggles? ([38:30])
How does the psalm contrast God’s role as both protector and deliverer in verses 6-7? ([46:17])
What phrase in verse 8 ties God’s help to His identity, and why is this significant? ([47:19])

Interpretation Questions

Why might the psalmist use a “what if” scenario (imagining life without God’s help) to teach about gratitude and trust? How does this approach reveal unseen mercies? ([15:21])
The sermon describes how physical struggles can “cascade” into emotional and spiritual battles if left unchecked. Why do you think this progression happens, and how does it connect to the psalm’s warning about the soul? ([30:10])
The pastor shared a story about a leg injury leading to meeting his wife as an example of God’s providence. How does this illustrate the difference between God’s sovereignty (authority) and providence (guidance in details)? ([37:15])
The psalm ends by declaring, “Our help is in the name of the Lord.” What does it mean to rely on God’s name rather than just His actions? ([47:19])

Application Questions

When have you experienced a “what if” moment—a situation where you later realized God’s protection was present even if you didn’t see it at the time? How could reflecting on this strengthen your trust today?
Identify a current physical or circumstantial struggle (e.g., health, finances, relationships). How might this challenge begin affecting your emotions or spiritual life if not surrendered to God’s care? ([25:22])
Share an example from your life where God’s providence guided you through an unexpected or painful situation to bring about good. How does this encourage you in your current challenges? ([37:15])
Is there a “snare” (habit, fear, or consequence of a past choice) you feel trapped by? How can you actively seek God’s deliverance rather than just protection in this area? ([46:17])
The next time anxiety or restlessness keeps you awake, how might praying in the name of the Lord (focusing on His character, not just your need) shift your perspective? ([47:19])

Sermon Clips

50s

“I I I'm in there like twice a week. Where things aren't going well and then and and and I'm I'm laying awake in bed at night with anxiety and worry over something, some circumstance that I have no no power over. So and so I I I do this, Lord, I can't do anything about this. Would you just handle this for me? And then and then and then I go right back into that same old, oh, what am I gonna do about this? There's nothing I can do about this. And then and then I'm back to, Lord, would you just please help me drop this once and for all? This vicious cycle of of distraught, turning it over to God, and then returning to distraught.”

39s

“What if Christ didn't save me? What if my life went in a completely different direction than what it than than it had has? What would what would it look like if that were the case? And so he kinda uses that to put us in this place of considering the protection that we have from God, the benefit that we have in his protection in our life. Now, remember, this is written to Israel, Israel on a journey, and so there's a very specific application to Israel in terms of protecting the nation, but I think there's a general principle for us too in this, and that we need the protection of God.”

37s

“And I believe there there is a difference, and I think we can describe that. And so, sovereignty is the authority of God that is over all things, providence is the the day to day guidance towards that. God's providence is what leads me to that place that he wants me to be. God, we we would say divine providence, that is God working to guide us specifically to the place that he wants us to be. Sovereignty, he has authority over all elements of my life. He has the right to do whatever he wants in my life. Providence says, here's the way that God's gonna bring me to that place.”

41s

“When I think of God's sovereignty, it lifts a burden off of me. Because if God is sovereign, what am I? Well, not sovereign, right? I'm not the one in charge, I'm not the one with the authority to make final decisions, that's God. And so, stand strong trusting in his sovereignty because when the world is going totally crazy, berserk, it doesn't it doesn't seem like God's in charge. It doesn't seem like he's sovereign. It seems like all the evil and demonic stuff in this world is is is where the authority lies, but ultimately God is always in charge. He is sovereign.”

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