Dear Precious Friends,
On this glorious new day (even an extra hour of sleep!!!)....this fill our Soul Sunday, I pray you have an amazing place of worship to attend filled with grounded teaching filled with God's word from the Holy Spirit!
There is no question that we live in a time of great uncertainty and confusion regarding what will happen next. Things that people counted on as stable and long-lasting proved to be anything but reliable. It is no wonder that many people are unsettled and fearful concerning the future.
This image is so powerful... It reminds us that God is so responsive that we can always reach Him. He bends down and listens to our voice. The Psalmists love has grown because He has experienced answers to his prayers... If you are discouraged, remember God is near, He listens carefully to every prayer and answers each one in order to give us His best. Psalm 116 is an amazing Psalm to read and be reminded of our response knowing God hears our prayers and listens to every single request. The first verse starts out : "I love the Lord because He hears and answers my prayers. "
As believers, our trust is not to be in men, institutions, or our resources, but in God. When we recognize that He is in control and provides His mercy to accompany us every day, we realize there is no need to be fearful regarding the future. Our lives may be filled with hardship and difficulty, but we will never be forsaken by the Good Shepherd. We can always rely on Him to both know what is best for us and provide for all our needs. Corrie ten Boom said, “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”
When we allow worry and fear to control our thinking and our actions, we are demonstrating a lack of faith. The promises of God are certain and sure, and our future is settled. We do not see what lies ahead, but God already knows. We simply need to trust in His love and care for us every day.
The writer of Psalm 116 had been through trauma. He cried out to God for help and received it.
To show his appreciation he said: “I will fulfill my vows to the LORD…” (verse 14).
It’s telling that fulfilling his vows is a part of how he shows his gratitude. Since God had been true to him, he knows he needs to be true to God. But there’s another angle to consider as well. Living up to promises is a way to bless and support others. Our lives intersect and interact with others. So when we keep our promises to God and to those around us, we are a reliable and trustworthy presence to someone in the midst of a world that doesn’t always feel very reliable or trustworthy.
May we go out and be an encouragement to others as we share all He has done in our lives, knowing the truth of God's word to us in a world filled with hurt, discouragement and difficulties sharing God's faithfulness.
AMEN!
