Seeing Us Through

Psalm 34:18-19 says, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” Jesus came not only to save us from our sins, but also to help us through our emotional pains by also bearing them upon Himself. Don’t try to carry your hurts, sorrows and sadness by yourself. Let Jesus carry you through these emotions and pains.

Isaiah 53:4-5 says of Jesus, “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities.” Jesus Christ has chosen to bear our griefs and carry our sorrows. Emotional distress and pain will come, but Jesus will see us through them if we will only give them to Him to carry.

Building

Suppose you were going to build yourself a new house and money was no object. First, you would find the perfect location. For me, the perfect location would be on the beach somewhere. Then you would work with the best architect to design a house to your specifications and with all the amenities you want. You would arrange for the best contractor and the highest quality materials for the house. Then your perfect family would move in and you would be happy forever.

I Peter 2:4-5 says, “As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” In the sight of God, believers in Jesus Christ are chosen and precious. He delights in building us up, using the best materials, His Spirit and His Word. He is the architect and contractor and we are the living stones with which He has chosen to build His house.

A Ransom Paid

Frequently, we hear of another person or persons taken hostage. The hostage is held for simple ransom or often for political reasons. The hostage takers demand money or some political action in exchange for the release of the hostage. The hostage is held with no freedom until the ransom is paid.

I Peter 1:18-19 says, “knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” All of us are born as slaves or hostages to sin. We have no freedom to know God and walk with Him as a hostage to sin. God the Father paid a precious price for your freedom, the blood of His own Son. Claim that freedom by trusting Jesus. Don’t give up that freedom by becoming a slave to sin again.

Brand New

It seems that anytime I want to do something new or restore something that an obstacle suddenly arises. I find that supplies are not available or a service provider cannot deliver as promised. If the new thing is my desire to restore a relationship, sometimes the other person is not receptive or has cut off contact. 

I Peter 1:3-4 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.” It is only by God’s great mercy that one can be saved and born again. He is always ready to restore our relationship with Him or to bring us into His forever family. The only question that remains is whether we will come to Him and trust in His great mercy. Then He gives us an inheritance in heaven that can’t be taken away or altered in any way.

Immovable

When I think of the words “steadfast” and “immovable”, I think of the great natural and manmade sites that I have seen. The Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, and the Great Wall of China fall into those categories. They are massive and exude power. But even these great and beautiful sites have changed and continue to change over time. Erosion, weather impacts, and man’s neglect adversely affect these places.

Psalm 32:10-11 says, “Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” Think about the fact that God’s love surrounds us when we trust in Him and is immovable. His love is steadfast, never changing, because He is love. This same love is abundant and eternal. That thought makes us extremely glad, enough to shout His praise.