January 24
"But whenever they were in trouble and turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought him out, they found him. During those dark times, it was not safe to travel. Problems troubled the people of every land. Nation fought against nation, and city against city, for God was troubling them with every kind of problem. "But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded.” -Azariah the Prophet in 2 Chronicles 15:4-7 (NLT)
We have all struggled with hard problems where we ended up feeling overwhelmed and defeated. In trying times often all we can do is think about the problem and ponder its many aspects in hopes of finding a way out. There are also times when our problems can be terrifying. Asa, the Jewish King, encountered such a time when he faced almost certain defeat at the hands of pagan armies. Yet Azariah, the prophet, told him and the people to stay close to God and be courageous because their efforts would be rewarded. The same advice still applies to us today when facing scary problems. How can we stay close to God? By prayers, worship, contact with other Christians, and seeking wise counsel. When King Asa did this, the prophet Asazraih said, "The LORD will stay with you as long as you stay with him! Whenever you seek him, you will find him. But if you abandon him, he will abandon you."(2 Chron.15:2)
If you are facing battles you feel you can't possibly win today or any day, don't give up. Keep your eyes on God and not on the problem! In the face of a vast horde of enemy soldiers, Asa prayed to God after recognizing his powerlessness. The secret of victory is first to admit the ineffectiveness of your unaided efforts and then trust God to save you. His power works best when you recognize your weakness and limitations. When you think you can do it all in your own power, then you are in great danger. Yet when you keep your eyes and ears on God and not the problem, defeat is turned to victory and despair to rejoicing. God has not brought you this far to abandon you. Your problems can become blessings when you focus on God's solution and not your own fear and difficulties!
Prayer: God, Help me see you instead of my problem. Amen.
Meditation For The Day: God's power is greater than all problems!
Brief Devotions For Busy Lives: Daily Fall Renewal (Volume 3) Paperback – August 23, 2017 by Rev. Dr. Mary B. Johnson (Author)
"But whenever they were in trouble and turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought him out, they found him. During those dark times, it was not safe to travel. Problems troubled the people of every land. Nation fought against nation, and city against city, for God was troubling them with every kind of problem. "But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded.” -Azariah the Prophet in 2 Chronicles 15:4-7 (NLT)
We have all struggled with hard problems where we ended up feeling overwhelmed and defeated. In trying times often all we can do is think about the problem and ponder its many aspects in hopes of finding a way out. There are also times when our problems can be terrifying. Asa, the Jewish King, encountered such a time when he faced almost certain defeat at the hands of pagan armies. Yet Azariah, the prophet, told him and the people to stay close to God and be courageous because their efforts would be rewarded. The same advice still applies to us today when facing scary problems. How can we stay close to God? By prayers, worship, contact with other Christians, and seeking wise counsel. When King Asa did this, the prophet Asazraih said, "The LORD will stay with you as long as you stay with him! Whenever you seek him, you will find him. But if you abandon him, he will abandon you."(2 Chron.15:2)
If you are facing battles you feel you can't possibly win today or any day, don't give up. Keep your eyes on God and not on the problem! In the face of a vast horde of enemy soldiers, Asa prayed to God after recognizing his powerlessness. The secret of victory is first to admit the ineffectiveness of your unaided efforts and then trust God to save you. His power works best when you recognize your weakness and limitations. When you think you can do it all in your own power, then you are in great danger. Yet when you keep your eyes and ears on God and not the problem, defeat is turned to victory and despair to rejoicing. God has not brought you this far to abandon you. Your problems can become blessings when you focus on God's solution and not your own fear and difficulties!
Prayer: God, Help me see you instead of my problem. Amen.
Meditation For The Day: God's power is greater than all problems!
Brief Devotions For Busy Lives: Daily Fall Renewal (Volume 3) Paperback – August 23, 2017 by Rev. Dr. Mary B. Johnson (Author)
No comments:
Post a Comment