The Unchangeable Great News!

Scripture: II Corinthians 1:8-9 (NASC) -  “For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction… indeed we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead…”  
  
 The Apostle Paul often voiced familiarity with today’s scriptural focus. So did Mark the Apostle in the gospel bearing his name (See Mark 9:17-29).  For many of us, our unspoken disposition in pre-Covid days may have ofttimes been, ‘I got this, LORD!’  Some of us may have been a bit haphazard about our quiet time, launching into the day floating on a “mental current of self-reliance.”    With a vaccine release on the horizon, many probably continue to  mock the notion of trusting in Jesus; and yet, we Christ followers are not exempted from temptations to stress, mild to severe depression, or succumbing to any number of physical maladies.  The great news, however, is that trusting in the Lord Jesus [Yahweh Rapha] remains the most reliable “prescription,” mentally, physiologically, and certainly spiritually, for God’s people; indeed, it is commanded of those professing to know Him!  It’s a command that we should never resist nor pridefully dismiss.  In light of this treacherous pandemic, many of us who are trusting Christ are learning AFRESH the indispensable value of leaning hard on His mercy and grace!

Scripture teaches us that dependency on Christ Jesus is tantamount to power! (See Zechariah 4:6; Acts 1:8). How contrary that is to the secular mentality!  Inasmuch as word meditation is to your spirit what physical exercise is to your body, let’s apply that old cultural axiom of “act like you know” and revitalize our dependence upon the Good Shepherd [Jehovah Rohi] before we start our day by meditating  on such encouraging verses as Prov. 3:5, 6,  Ps. 39:7, Ps. 71:3-5, Isaiah 26:4, and many, many others.  If you’ve never done so, try writing on 3 x 5 cards some key promises of God that speak peace to your spirit for specific situations which you confront daily; better yet, commit them to memory! Pray those verses in a personalized way back to the Lord, and see how He will strengthen you to endure when you’re in the crucible of daily or even seasonal life challenges.

Prayer:   Precious Lord, please forgive us for failing to trust You as completely and consistently as we’ve been commanded to do daily, in every circumstance, by virtue of our relationship to You and because of the price You paid to make us Your very own. Thank You in Jesus’ name, Amen!

(By Sis. Denise Diggs)