August 16-Psalm 125

It’s the weekend! I’ve had one of those weeks where even though I haven’t been “alone” per se, I’ve really felt lonely. Have you ever had one of those? One of those times when you just felt sort of cut off from the world and were sure that no one really knew you were still on the planet and much less cared if you were? Sure you have. We’ve all thrown a pity party for ourselves and the guest list is always the same. And I’m willing to bet that you don’t have any more people show up to yours than I do! 


But when we get off one slope and get on what can be a truly another wild adventure of this life with Jesus, our faith will inevitably become tested through fires and floods. Sometimes it’s really hard to believe, but it is for our deepest good, forging and molding our spiritual perseverance.


“because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James‬ ‭1:3-4‬ ‭NIV‬‬


It is during these times, our feelings will likely dictate to us that we have been left alone to find our own way out and God has abandoned us, left us surrounded only by our struggles.That is when we have to push through the lonely, the emotional, the feelings of the immediate. We have to choose not to look with the eyes of the flesh but instead through the lens of faith. For 


“as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people, from this time forth and forevermore.” 

Psalm 125:2 ESV)


We can know that we are anything but left alone to fight our battles. As a child of God in Christ, the Lord has promised Himself to be a barrier of divine protection, more unyielding than the grandest peaks of earth, both today and 1,000 years from today. We are in every definition of the words, completely secure, obviously not because of any impressive work in our will, but because of who we have on our side, on all sides, for all of our days. May we choose today to abide within this shelter that the Lord provides, depending on His goodness and power instead of our own. 


Lord, thank you for sheltering us even we we don’t feel you. Because we are yours, we know you shelter us and surround us. We choose this day to abide in you and rest in your promise. Your mercy and grace comfort us and we offer thanksgiving for your righteousness and goodness. What a marvelous Savior you are! We ask today that you touch our friends and family who are sick and fighting illness of all kinds. Love them Lord and let them feel your presence. Praise you El Roi. Amen and amen. 


Love you dear one,

Pam


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