Dear Precious Friends,
In my quiet time this morning I was reading Isaiah 61. He has sent us to share the good news and reach out to the oppressed. Every time fear or news reports try to rise in our spirits, we must go to our knees, go to the Lord. We are Christs representatives as believers we have a testimony and Jesus to share our good news. We have His word to guide us.. His absolute truth.
In dealing with a lot of disappointment which I know we are all experiencing I was crying out to the Lord and I was amazed at His response. The excerpt below was sent to me recently and it really hit home:
Excerpt from God's Promises for your every need:
“I lay my disappointment at the foot of the cross. I am puzzled by Your ways. Truth be told, I’m a bit mad at You. Why did You let me down? Why did You ignore my prayer? Where were You when I needed You most?
Oh, Lord, deep inside, I know better. I know You are good. I know You are faithful. I know You are holy and perfect.
Still, I ache. So, I bring my ache, my pain, my loss, [my bewilderment] and my disappointment to the foot of the Cross. I lay it all there. And when I see Jesus, there, suffering for me, I can’t help but know You understand. You never stood aloof from my sorrows and pain. But You plunged into them more deeply than I know.”
We can't see what the Lord has in store for us, however we have His love that endured the cross for us... we have His word, His truth and each other to carry us through these difficult times. He has ordained us to bring God's word to all we know. No matter what we are walking through His love is greater than our disappointments and His plans are greater than anything we can think or imagine.
He is our hope. Rather than jump into the disappointment our world is experiencing, the political unrest, the riots and all the challenges of life at this time of a pandemic, lets remember what He's called us here for and it is for such a time as this.
Isaiah 61 reminds us "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has appointed me to bring good news tot he poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to announce that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those that mourn that the time of the Lord's favor has come and with it, the day of God's anger against their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel, he will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair. For the Lord has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for his own glory."
My friends, despite our disappointment, He has a job for us to do. Let's pour ourselves into this high calling He has given us. He is our hope, when we have Him we have everything. We are the richest people in the world when we have Jesus. This life is but a vapor in the scheme of eternity. Let's live with our hope in Him despite our disappointments knowing His plans are better than anything we can think or imagine and his love is greater than our deepest disappointments.
As we trust in Him for ALL things, lets keep our eyes on Him and as long as we have breath let's share His great love with a lost world.
Now who will join me? Can I have an AMEN?
