Sunday, July 27, 1997 In Your Absence:
In this week's lesson, which came from Psalms 91:1-16, we learned about God's protection in times of crisis. All of us have had to and/or will have to deal with difficult situations in this life, and during those times, it is useful and comforting to know that we can turn to the Lord. Many people try to build high walls around their life so that they can keep out all the hurts and problems of life, but such precautions, while perhaps being good in and of themselves, are not foolproof. We live in a world which is filled with dangers and uncertainties, and no one can protect themselves from everything. For that reason, the Psalmist wrote that he would "choose" to dwell in the shelter of the Most High, that he would rest in the shadow of the Almighty, and that he would rely on his own personal relationship with his Lord. As we face the present and future difficulties of our own lives, we can make this same decision for ourselves, to lean upon our God and realize that He will be faithful to keep us through whatever may come. The Lord is able to protect us from those who might plot or be plotting against us. He can keep us from and through all of the unseen, nonhuman dangers of life, such as a serious illness or a major accident. He can cause us to be observers of the evils of this world rather than recipients. But, of course, if He wills, He can also carry us through those same evils and give us the victory. One of the important conclusions of this week's lesson is that the Lord is always ready, willing, and able to respond to us whenever we turn to Him. He likes to be acknowledged, so when we look to Him, He is always there to respond.
In my opinion, God lets us experience difficulties for three reasons. First, it is through our sufferings that we are better able to "know Him." When we are hurting, not only can we turn to Him, but often, that is the precise time that we do turn to Him. When we are too comfortable with our life, we many times do not give Him the attention that He wants and deserves. Second, when we are in the midst of a trial, we can "experience His deliverance." A number of years ago, I turned to the Lord in my distress. He responded by giving me the indwelling of His presence, by delivering me from my immediate circumstances, and by giving me a peace which passes all understanding. Each of us can know that same kind of deliverance as we learn to open our hearts to Him. Third, my opinion is that we are allowed to experience difficulties because our own hurts make us "better, more natural witnesses" of God's love and goodness. We might be able to force ourselves to tell others about the Lord, but it is so much better when the words come naturally. If you have experienced God's deliverance, whether through life's troubles or not, you should have a natural desire to tell others what He has done for you. Therefore, as you go through the coming week, ask the Holy Spirit to point out someone with whom you can share your faith.
Tom of Spotswood"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5:12)
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
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