Seriously …

Posted on February 28, 2023 by Elizabeth Welte in Freedom Fighters

One morning, I finished writing about ‘expected hope’ in prayer only to receive a phone call that my son’s car was stolen. Not the quick challenge I expected to use the hope I have in God. On this side of Heaven, I have a lot of questions… I think of the many struggles like this one, which we each face and ask why? Over the next several hours, God did a work that answered the need of my heart. I didn’t want to go to a prayer meeting the night prior; honestly I didn’t want to talk about anything painful… I went anyway, knowing I should be there. On the drive I half heard the lyrics on the radio say something about ‘one day we will stand before His throne and He will take all the pain away’, when I entered through the back a friend gave me a hug and said they were praying, and then Pastor had chosen several songs that reflected the heart of David; these were from the Psalms he wrote during some of the hardest days of his life. We sang of God being our refuge and strength, a shelter in a time of storm. What joy I knew as the words rose from my heart… it was as if God whispered ‘I got this’ in my ear. I felt lighter on the way home; like some of the burden had been lifted. I knew in a fresh way how God was faithful and I could expect, with confident hope that His grace is sufficient and I could rest in His Word.

We are often beaten down with doubts and ‘ourselves’ deceive us into grasping back control from God; only to leave us weaker than before. It gets worse as the next punch lands and you want to give up; then the final blow lands and knocks you off your feet. Startled, you reach for what you’re certain of… Thank God there is hope and His name is Jesus!

Choose wisely…

“You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” — Psalm 32:7

Praying 4 U

Written by David Brown: David Brown is a husband, father, grandfather, Pastor with a Masters of Religious Studies and a Professor of Philosophy and Comparative Religions. Dave is the Associate Pastor of Pemberton’s First Baptist Church. He is the author of two devotional books, “From a Chair by the Window.” And “#PrayerWinsThe Day”.

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This Week’s Verse to Memorize: “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; 2 To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, And Your faithfulness every night…” Psalm 92:1-2