Comfort

The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save...... Zephaniah 3:17

There is a saying that you probably know well; 'When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.'  In other words, make the best of what you can out of what comes your way. This satisfies our need to make sense of our situation, but sometimes life just does not make sense at all.

You will probably remember poor Job.  His dire situation made no sense at all to him, or to his wife.  Their responses were very different towards the situation.  Job sat in contrite repentance and faith for a better day when God would come through as Restorer.  And He did!  Job's wife was extremely angry about the situation in all her grief, and understandably so.  Her advice to her husband was "just curse God and die." (Job 2:9). In other words,  "Put an end to your misery, get it over with."  She couldn't bear to see her husband suffer.  Those who have watched a loved one suffer pain and anguish will fully understand her response.

Job's friends, on the other hand had all the advice in the world.  They spoke with authority but without understanding, empathy or compassion. In fact their view of God was totally different from Job's. God dealt with them later.  We must remember that it is not necessary for us to provide a reason  for someone in their suffering.  Most people would rather have loving, silent empathy than pious talk.

I tend to think that Job believed what the prophet Zephaniah wrote in the above verse, even though the words had not yet been written in Job's day.  He knew that no matter what his situation God was still mighty to save and more importantly, that God was still with him. He humbled himself before God in his pain and  suffering and continued to believe that God could deliver him and vindicate him. And He did.

In your pain today will you choose to believe that the Lord your God is with you in the midst of your trial?  Will you allow him to work it out in His time and way?  If you find that too difficult you could ask Him to help you; for strength, patience, and peace.  He is always ready to come to our aid in time of need. He sent the Holy Spirit to be our Comforter (John 14:16), one who will strengthen and help us and walk alongside us.  Let your trial bring you closer to God as you trust Him  with your future. Bring God into the midst of your trial, He alone is mighty to save.

Prayer:  Dear Lord, you see my pain, you alone understand as no one else can.  Will you send your Holy Spirit to comfort and strengthen me according to your word.  Amen

Confidence

As you stood on the threshold of the new year, which is already 7 weeks old, did you wonder what it will hold: dreams fulfilled or dashed on the rocks, unexpected crises, loss of loved ones, success, failure, joy sadness.  Not one of us can know what each day, let alone a year, will bring with it.  But it is possible to step into it with a confidence that the God we love, loves us with an everlasting love and his ways are good.  Not only that, he is the one who will cause ALL THINGS to work together for good to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28). Not some things, but all things.  That is what his word says.  Our challenge then is to trust that word and expect that he will do just that.  We may not see it just as we don't see the legacy we leave, but remember the heroes of faith.  They looked for a Messiah who they never got to see, still they held onto the promise of God and their names appear in our Bible because they believed God's word would come to pass.

I had a little plaque that someone gave me years ago.  I kept it on my kitchen windowsill for many years until it was ingrained into my mind.  It read, "The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you."   How true that is, I have proved it over many, many years and in many different situations.

A similar reminder is found in 1 Corinthians 10:13.."The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure."  There is nothing that this year can bring that you and God, together, cannot conquer.  He is faithful and true, he is merciful and just and his plans, as always are to give you a hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Step out confidently into this day with a strong affirmation in your mind and your mouth, The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. Psalm 118:6

Loving heavenly Father, thank you for this new day. Thank you that you constantly watch over me and your steadfast love for me endures forever.  This year please help me to grow in confidence in your love and be a light for those who do not know you.  Amen

Trust

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not to your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6

Early in this new year as we neared the end of our three and a half months holiday in Australia, (two and a half of which we had been making a final holiday in our caravan), we were praying for buyers for both the car and caravan.  We had been told previously by an acquaintance who has been in the caravan business that January was not a good time to sell vans as most people already had theirs and were on their long summer holiday.  This, of course, challenged our trust as we continued to pray for buyers of both or each of our advertised the vehicles.

As it turned out we showed the van to 2 people on the way back from our holiday and the second one purchased it.  The car was sold 2 days later and this is the story I want to tell you about because it demonstrates God's goodness to his people.

The man who called us on the Friday night turned out to be a Nepalese Christian man who had served with the British Forces in Hong Kong and was there at the same time we were.  He was very keen to buy our model of car because it had 8 seats and he had already followed up 2 similar vehicles which were not suitable.  The first one was in Melbourne and because he lived in Sydney and didn't want to waste a flight if the vehicle was not to his liking, after speaking to the owner and being satisfied that the vehicle seemed to meet his requirements and had the logbooks to prove the service history, he had a friend in Melbourne check the vehicle out. The vehicle sounded good and he was told it was worth the trip.  So he flew to Melbourne but when he asked for the logbooks he found he had been misled and they were not available, so he did not buy the vehicle.  To inspect the next vehicle he travelled a number of hours into the country but found that the interior was not good.  Again disappointment.

I imagine that he had made this purchase process a matter of prayer as we always do and was probably by then wondering to himself and perhaps to God, "Why is this happening?"  Then he found our vehicle and got the prize.  A vehicle which had logbooks and had been faithfully serviced, lovingly polished and kept in great condition by my diligent husband.

This was a reminder to me that we are sometimes too impatient and too easily discouraged when we don't have our prayers answered immediately.  We can also be too quick to think that maybe we are trying to move outside of what God wants for us.  If we can patiently press in and keep trusting our loving Father we will find that delays often only mean that we haven't found what's right for us yet. I am convinced that God always wants the best for his children.

Prayer:  Loving Father, thank you for your faithful love which is willing to allow me temporary disappointment in order to bring me to the place of your best for me.  Help me to patiently trust you.  Amen