God’s promises

The Everlasting Arms

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Years ago when our forty something year old boys were small we used to swap baby-sitting duties with friends. Whenever it was our turn to watch theirs I usually ended up being the one to rock the two year old in my arms at bedtime while my wife put down our boys and their two older girls.

Debbie liked nothing better than hanging out with me as long as I kept rocking or walking around with her. It seemed the only thing that gave her the feeling of being safe enough to eventually get to sleep. That memory reminded me of Deuteronomy 33:27 where it says

The eternal God is our refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms! What a comfort in these tense times to know that God is holding us and he will keep us safe. This week’s song session includes Leaning on the Everlasting Arms and Bind us Together. I hope these will be an encouragement to you to trust more deeply and rest more completely on the Everlasting Arms of God!

All He Has is Ours!

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And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. Luke 15:31

What most of us love about the parable of the prodigal son is the love and acceptance he receives when he returns home. His father had the servants bring him the best robe, sandals and a ring, and then ordered a celebration with music, dancing and lots of food!

When his older brother heard the news he didn’t exactly rejoice. In fact he refused to go even in and instead complained bitterly to his father, “Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command” This morning, listen to the father’s reply, “You are always with me and all that is mine is yours.” You see what the older brother hadn’t realized was that he had access to all that his father possessed. He had not received that position because of his years of work. After all there had been servants in the household who had worked harder and longer but were still not owners of anything. The reality was that just like his younger brother he had missed out on his relationship with his dad all those long years.

Though it is easy for us to criticize the older brother’s hard hearted response, we aren’t really that much different than he was. We attend church, read our Bible, go to work, and try to be good neighbors. Yet God doesn’t love us because of our hard work. He accepts us because of His grace. So today, whether you are far away or right in the same house, you will still be missing out until you begin to embrace Him like a son and not simply work like a servant.  Why waste one more day ? Our Father is waiting for us to join Him for a celebration knowing that all He has is ours!

Jesus Our Life Preserver

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Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him, because he knows my name when he calls to me I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation. Psalm 91:14-16

Some have compared this new Corona virus to the swine flu outbreak or Ebola. But a more realistic comparison that most of us have forgotten is the polio epidemic of 1916 that swept through cities like New York and Boston. Back then, very much like today panic ensued as tens of thousands were infected and 2,000 deaths occurred in New York City alone. Because we are accustomed to thinking that there is a cure for every conceivable disease that is hard for us to imagine how generations of everyday people could face such uncertainty with courage.

The fears we face today may feel very different than those of the past but our hope remains the same. Our hope is in trusting God. He has promised to be with us. Our hope is not just a doctrine or a trophy to be kept on display but it is our life preserver in desperate times. God has not forgotten us and He has promised to deliver us; answer us in our trouble; rescue us and shows us His salvation.