Isolation

He Knows Where You Are!

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. Isaiah 49:16

Have you sometimes felt that God has forgotten where you are or doesn’t understand what you are going through? You are not alone! Lots of people in the Bible felt like that. For example, just what was Adam thinking when he tried to hide from God in the garden? Did he think maybe God didn’t know every nook and cranny of His own creation? Abraham was regularly reminding God not only where he was but of the promise that he would have a son. When Gideon was visited by an angel he had questions as well

,” And Gideon said to him, ‘Please, my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? ‘ ” Judges 6:13

Does that question sound familiar in your own life. Does it seem you would like to say with Martha,

“If you had been here my brother would not have died!” John 11:21

But God has not forgotten us! He knows exactly where we are, what is happening and how we feel. If you are going through deep waters today as you read these words, don’t give up or become bitter. God’s promise to us is that he has engraved us on the palms of His hands. Then if we pause to think we will remember that that engraving was with the nails of the cross.

As they pierced through the soft flesh of the hands of Jesus and His blood spilled over the rough wood. Your name and mine were carved on His palms. He suffered in agony that afternoon till He cried out “My God My God, Why have you forsaken me?” In that moment on Mount Calvary Jesus felt alone and forgotten so that we would never be!

Never Alone!

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

My featured image today of a  car in our neighborhood stands as a stark reminder of how separated and isolated many of us are. One of the things that has helped us through this time of isolation has been a Christian film production called The Chosen. While this post is not meant as a review of that series I have found particular comfort from the verse from Isaiah which is featured in the first episode because if talks about an issue that I battle with called fear. The story in that episode imagines the life of Mary Magdalene before she met Jesus. It helps us realize that just as Jesus knew about Mary’s s inner struggles, God also knows us as we really are deep below the surface of what others see. He doesn’t deny our doubts and weaknesses but instead He invites us to find in Him the answer.

Have you noticed lately that on every television channel are commercials, public service announcements and personal messages telling us that we don’t need to be afraid because we are all in this together? While I confess that I love these and they encourage me but their message is only partially true. Sure there are folks doing wonderful things every day to help people; but there are also still drug overdoses, violent crimes and even sadly a growing number of Corona virus money scams. If we are looking for real courage that is more than bravado we need a source higher than ourselves, our neighbors, family or doctors. We need the unfailing love of Jesus Christ. When we struggle with our fear of death, God reminds us that it was He who gave us life. When we face our deepest failures and sins Jesus shows us His hands and says, “I have redeemed you.” When no one knocks on our door and we are alone Jesus calls us by name. And because He has called us His own we can refuse every fear. We can belong to an eternal God and He is offering right now to make us a part of His family. When we simply turn around and answer His call then truly and forever we will never be alone!

 

By the way here is the link for episode One if you would like to begin to see this wonderful series.