Do you ever get the feeling that the universe is conspiring against you, or those you love? I opened Facebook this morning, and within minutes, reviewed several posts: one friend is in the hospital with pneumonia, another friend's child attempted suicide, and a high school friend requested prayers for a 94-year-old neighborhood matriarch who had just suffered a stroke. As the old saying goes, "When it rains, it pours," but this deluge is not refreshing, but destructive.
Jesus warned us, "The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy." Severe illness, depression and despair, sudden tragedy--these are all tools the enemy uses to steal our joy, kill our energy, and ultimately destroy our lives.
But with the warning, Jesus also gave the point of Intervention: "I have come...". Jesus's entry into the world, the path He walked, His death on the Cross, and subsequent Resurrection, were all for this purpose: "that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."
Consider that the shelter in the storm, for yourself and your loved ones. While we cannot avoid getting doused in life's deluge and the enemy's machinations, Jesus continues to promise abundant life, if we rest and rely in Him. In Psalm 18, David sings a song of praise about God's deliverance in the midst of the storm:
"The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me. The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path. But in my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears."
God hears every prayer, every cry, and always has a plan of dramatic entrance to match the power of the storm. Despite what rages around us, we are safe, even when things feel most unsafe.
Jesus gives another promise in Matthew 11:28-30:
"Then Jesus said, 'Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.'"
May you rest in His promises of intervention, protection, and abundant life, for those who believe.
- What storms are you facing today? How can you actively rest in God's promises of intervention, protection and abundance?
- Which scriptural promises resonate with you in times of difficulty or crisis?
- Take one of the scriptural promises above, or one of your choosing, write it out, and post it someplace prominent. Each time you read it, let it be a balm of comfort throughout your time of difficulty or crisis.
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