As many times as I walked away from the Lord, He remembered my name, for it was written on the palm of His hand before the foundations of the world. If you read Ephesians Chapter 1 you will see that we were predestined to Him before the foundation of the world. He's not going to give up on us when we have it rough or turn our back for a time. We are HIS children and he loves us and will never leave us.
God began making this promise long before Christ came into the world. Look back into the Old Testament for His word to the Israelites, who were known to walk away from Him with regularity:
Deu 31:6 Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be affrighted at them: for Jehovah thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Joshua 1:5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life. as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee; I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Does this mean when I am down and out, He will come along and feed me, clothe me and find me shelter? Yes it does! I am His. He will provide. Then where is He for all the homeless and sick and injured? He's ready and willing. He love them. They need only cry out to him as Israel did time after time. Here's what we forget: we forget to ask. Will he serve up a gourmet meal? I don't know. It's up to Him to provide and up to us to accept. Maybe the provision won't be your preferred food or shelter or clothing, but it will be there. The Bible tells us that whatever we ask in His (Jesus') name, will be given.
Does this mean that we can ask for selfish desires and He will give them? I don't know. I believe we have to temper our requests. I recently prayed for something special - the desire of my friend's heart - and have heard that she received it. What a blessing that He knows best what we need.
How about the times we are lonely and afraid. Is He really there? Why is it we feel so separated from Him at these times? I don't mean to share all of my experiences here, but several years ago, I became very ill. I thought perhaps that I was ill because my mother was dying of cancer and it hurt me so to see her. I prayed for a peaceful passing for her. I had no idea that my mother would die in the wee hours of that Friday and my beloved husband would die on Saturday. It was almost more than one person could stand. My illness came to the forefront. I had hepatitis. I stayed a day with friends, but more than anything I wanted to go home to my house, my bed and my thoughts. I prayed a lot. No one really wanted to be exposed to my illness, so I was truly alone with God. The verse that kept coming to me was this:
Rom 8:38
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,Rom 8:39
nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.He has never, ever left me. All of my anguish. All of the world's trials will NEVER separate me from him.
Are you alone now? Afraid? Depressed? In pain? Jesus Christ is the answer. He is the promise of God. The circumstance may not change, but the strength of the Almighty is there at your fingertips to use. How much better can it get?
Be Blessed in the Lord today and always, Penny
