WATCHWORD:
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you, he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6
Meditation:
Abide with Me
Moses was a great man; one of the greatest to ever walk this earth. But Moses was not irreplaceable. God being with them, Israel was in good hands, with or without Moses. God’s word, through Moses to Joshua, was: Be strong and of good courage. That was spoken nearly 3300 years ago, but it applies now, to our nation and to us, as individual believers in Christ. It is time that we take courage in the Lord and not fear nor be dismayed, by the virus or any other threat. God has not abandoned us.
I think too often when we hear that phrase ‘be strong and of good courage’ we may think of action heroes coming to the rescue, saving us from really bad things, at the very last moment. But it is God saying to us to abide in his word and not lose faith, He will walk with us through this present Jordan.
There is a commentary on Verse-A-Day that says: “It is striking how often the truth of scripture points to the quality of our relationship with Jesus.” To me, that hits the mark.
As believers in Jesus Christ we need to allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit then to reach out with courage and compassion tor others who are suffering through this time. We cannot do this on our own, that’s the reality of our frailty. But we can do it with Jesus who will give us the strength. We are never alone when we speak the truth in love.
When we reach out to others, when we have a heart for them, that feeling of being cared for and supported, builds them up. And we know, from our own experience, that the feeling of being cared for can help sustain us when we’re facing these and other challenges. The awareness of God’s presence and support can bring hope to encourage our spirit.
In Psalm 46 we read: ‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble…Be still and know that I am God… I will be exalted in the earth. The Almighty is with us’. Imprint that in your mind and let it strengthen your resolve.
When we remind ourselves of God’s promises and His presence with us it can be a means to renew our hearts and give us the courage and confidence to go through difficult and sometimes boring days. Remember Jesus words, ‘be of good cheer for I have overcome the world.’ Amen.
(This Watchword is a revision of the Watchword posted on April 18, 2020.)
Just Because:
Lyrics
1. Abide with me! fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens. Lord, with me abide!
When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me!
2. Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day. Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away.
Change and decay in all around I see; O thou who changest not, abide with me!
3. I need thy presence ev’ry passing hour. What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r?
Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be? Thru cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me!
Bulletin Board:
Smile! At our weekly Bible study, the leader asked Maury to open the meeting with prayer. Maury did so in a soft voice. Mac, straining to hear, shouted, “I can’t hear you!” to which Maury replied, “I wasn’t talking to you.”
Closing Prayer:
Prayer that St. Teresa prayed each day — Dear Jesus, help me to spread Thy fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with Thy spirit and love. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that all my life may only be a radiance of Thine. Shine through me and be so in me that every so I come in contact with may feel Thy presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me but only Jesus. Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as You shine, and so to be a light to others. (May it so be with us.) Amen.
