“Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.” Psalms 36:5 (KJV)
God is always there!
I was seventeen years old on the morning of February 1976. There were always transportation difficulties getting down from Mara on the East Bank to New Amsterdam, Berbice, Guyana. That I will never forget. My mom prayed, and we left for school by boat – about twenty of us. About an hour later, the boat encountered rough water and capsized. I can vividly remember the word “Hope” in Mom’s prayer. Through the fear and lots of tears, we hung on in the terrifying atmosphere. After about eleven hours, we were rescued. Nine people suffered, and twelve survived, including myself, my sister, and a brother-in-law.
Romans 5:5 (NIV) states, “And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”
Believers, God is in control. He desires to use the hard or rough times to develop perseverance and character and to bring us a satisfying, hope-filled life. And even when we are far away from Him, He still loves and cares for us. Are you looking for signs of hope in times of trouble or tragedy? Remember, God is in control; He is the answer. The Holy Spirit is ever-present throughout our lives. Scripture says, “…yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” (Psalm 37:25, KJV). I have seen God’s faithfulness in my life. I can testify of his goodness. God is real in times of trouble; you can reach out to Him.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You. Even when I lacked faith, You were always there, in control. I know You know me because I am Yours. You always hear our cries, You know our ways and recognise our voices. How I thank You that we are Your servants and You always care for us. I thank You for always being faithful to Your Word. It gives me great confidence to realise that Your Word will never return to You empty, but it will always accomplish what You desire, and it will achieve the purpose You have in mind. Amen!
Read: Isaiah 55:11; Jeremiah 31:25-26
Bible Reading Guide: Psalm 94:1-11; 1 Corinthians 6; 2 Chronicles 1