My dear readers,
This week we reproduce an article, “SOMEONE CARES,” from the Bible League of America for our mutual blessing.
1 God understands
God knows all about your present weakness, distress, challenges, and trials. He knows what you are going through. He understands your innermost thoughts, desires, hurts and your fears. He has not forsaken you or forgotten about you. Jesus Christ, the Son of God went through great suffering Himself. And it is He who comes to strengthen and to comfort you in your loneliness and affliction. Listen to Him! He understands!
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7 ).
2 God’s love
When you fully trust in God, you know that God’s love will never fail you. Nothing can separate you from God’s love. Circumstances may sometimes cause you to feel forsaken, but you never are. You may temporarily fail to enjoy the presence and love of God because of your disappointments, hurts, or fears, but God’s love is still there! Circumstances don’t change the reality of God’s presence and love, even though you may change in your awareness of them. God remains lovingly faithful, and faithfully loving. God doesn’t change!
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?...Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:35 , 37-39 ).
3 Uncertainty
Perhaps you feel that God is punishing you for some wrong you have done. You may feel that you deserve all the trials you are going through. Is that how it is? It is true that God does not always intervene to keep disappointments, trials, loneliness, or sickness away from His children. But your trials and challenges, sickness and suffering can never pay for your sins. Only Jesus can do that. It is by His sufferings, not yours, that you are made right with God. And remember, God can graciously use even your suffering and sickness for your ultimate good, if you humbly and sincerely commit them unto Him.
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19 ).
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God …” (Romans 8:28a ).
4 Trust
One of life’s great blessings is to have someone you can trust. Completely! With everything! Between you and the one you trust, there is total openness, complete confidence. The one you trust will never fail you or leave you, no matter what happens. God is Someone like that. Someone you can trust. He has promised never to forget you or to fail you. He will not get weary of listening to you. He will not leave you when your trials increase. God wants to be your Friend. He wants you to trust Him. Completely! With everything!
“What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me”(Psalm 56:3-4 ).
5 Fear
Perhaps you are wondering just how serious your illness is (if you are sick). You may be fearing the worst. Or you may already know the worst. And that may make you afraid, afraid of today, afraid of tomorrow, afraid of what will happen to you. Or you may be afraid of what will happen to your loved ones if you don’t make it, if you don’t get better. Does God understand those fears? Does He really care when you’re afraid? Of course he does. That’s why He promises that He will never leave you. He assures you that He will never forsake you, no matter how rough the way may be. Tomorrow may be uncertain, but the promises of God are not. Do not let the fear of the unknown take away the comfort of that which is sure!
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters …Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me ….Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever” (Psalm 23 ).
6 Thankfulness
Many people find it easy to be thankful when things go well. But they find it hard to be thankful when things go wrong. They quickly forget their years of good health and happiness after a few days of illness and sadness. They quickly forget their years of freedom after a few days of confinement. And thankfulness drains away along with their declining strength. Do not lose your thankful spirit when you lose your health or happiness. God has not left you; His love has not failed you. God still wants the best for you, no matter how little you may understand that right now. Do not focus on what you have lost. Learn to give thanks for what you have.
“I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together” (Psalm 34:1-3 ).
7 Discouragement
Hospitals and nursing homes are great places to have around when you’re in need. But they are not like home! All the familiar things are gone, your normal routine is interrupted, your favourite foods are not available. And someone you hardly know tells you what you may and may not do. You feel so dreadfully out of place – almost like a prisoner. You hurt, you weep, nothing seems to go right. And you simply don’t know how long it will be before you are well again. God understands all of that, and He wants you to be honest with Him. He doesn’t want you to hide how you really feel. He wants you to talk to Him about it. He promises to listen!
“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance … Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life” (Psalm 42:5 , 8 ). (to be continued …)
Lovingly in the Lord
Dr SH Tow, Senior Pastor