Do Not Be Surprised at Trials and Afflictions
When days of darkness come upon us, let us not count it a strange thing. Rather let us remember that lessons are learned on such days, which would never have been learned in sunshine.
When days of darkness come upon us, let us not count it a strange thing. Rather let us remember that lessons are learned on such days, which would never have been learned in sunshine.
Teach me, Father, how to go
Softly as the grasses grow…
…Place where passing souls can rest
On the way and be their best.
…we will be victorious when we die to sin and live in the power of God’s enabling grace.
God not only promises us a way out of every temptation, He also offers us rest. Not just for our souls, and not someday in the future – but right now and for our very flesh, even that part of us that constantly fights Him. “My flesh also shall rest in hope.”
Christ’s reign in His Church is that of a shepherd-king. He has supremacy, but it is the superiority of a wise and tender shepherd over his needy and loving flock… Let us worship and bow down before Him as the people of His pasture.
Meditate a little on this MERCY of the Lord: It is TENDER Mercy; It is GREAT Mercy; It is UNDESERVED Mercy; It is RICH Mercy; It is MANIFOLD Mercy; It is ABOUNDING Mercy; It is UNFAILING Mercy
Left on our own, our species would undoubtedly swallow itself whole in greed and debauchery. But there is One who comes to us with a different way. Like the sun breaking through the clouds, he brings warmth and life and a way out of the mire.
The same God that formed us in our mothers’ wombs desires a personal relationship with us. While we are in human corruptible flesh we are only able to have access to Him through an incorruptible, sinless representative. Jesus is the one and only High Priest who fits that description.
If the people of Capernaum refused to believe Jesus when He identified Himself as the Messiah, do you think they would have believed it if the devils declared it?? Certainly not, it would just have been a bigger spectacle. Likewise, anyone who refuses to accept Jesus as Saviour now, will reject Him even if demons jumped up and declared him to be the Son of God.
…in spite of our utter hopelessness to be as good as God intended us to be, His strength and grace and love overshadow every distraction and weakness with a light that will nourish and guide us all of our days if we dare to walk in it. Even when the Enemy has us so shortsighted that we stumble at every step, God’s arms are still there: still holding us up…