Hopefully, you are now a bit more comfortable with whom David referred in his statement about the righteous. I pray that we see that we are counted as righteous by God’s grace. What a marvellous gift!
If not, it’s not too late. Invite God to reveal Y’shua Jesus to you, then allow the revelation of Jesus to transform you. We’re welcome today to join believers around the world at Gather25. It’s a 25-hour praise event that’s taking place worldwide right now. You can join the live celebration at https://www.gather25.com/
I also urge us to look for evidence of God at work in our lives, despite whatever we face. Please consider Today’s Holy Nougat.
Psalms 37:25 CEB
[25] I was young, and now I’m old, but I have never seen the righteous left all alone, have never seen their children begging for bread.
How Do We Respond?
Our Nougat invites us to think about God’s saving grace and presence in the lives of those recognized as righteous. For the psalmist David, despite all he’d experienced, God’s people had never been forced to beg, nor had they ever been left all alone in their distress.
Self-Check
Has there ever been a time in your life when you’ve felt forsaken and alone? How did you get past that moment? Could you see evidence of God at work? Why/not?
Application
It may seem idyllic or that it only happened in David’s era. When we reflect on our lives however, or the testimonies of others, we just might find that David had a real point. The truth is, at our lowest moments, we are not alone. God is with us. Job reminds us that though God may permit the valley experience, God does not forsake us.
The stranger who rescued us, the friend, family, or neighbour who intervened, the church member who called to pray with our for us. Some of us have also had supernatural experiences assuring us of God’s presence. The Footprints poem reminds us of that.
If we are conscious that God is with us at our worst moments, how do we respond? This question is to be read in two ways – it’s about our response to those valley moments and also what we do after we’ve survived the valley.
Psalm 121:1 offers a partial blueprint for us in times of trial. The first thing we ought to do when the going gets tough is ‘lift our eyes to … God, Who made heaven and earth.’ In other words, when things get rough, we take it directly to God. Jesus says that time of persecution and problems will (not might) come. But He assures us there’s no need to worry because He Who is with us, and within us always has already overcome the world. Those are His assurances from John 16:33 and Matthew 28:20. And, as ones who counted as righteous because (like Abraham) we believe; we take God at God’s Word – including Y’shua.
That’s our first response. Then, having seen proof of God’s presence with us, we also have the option (obligation) to respond after we’ve passed through our season.
I commend to us the response of the Samaritan leper, who, on recognizing that he was healed, rushed back in gratitude to Y’shua. I remind us of the first Gentile evangelist, yet another Samaritan (and a woman at that), who rushed to her village to ensure that others who faced their own challenges could experience the loving presence of Y’shua. I also commend to us one woman – the outcast – who took her most precious gift, an alabaster box of precious nard, to anoint Jesus.
Siblings, these are a few responses to the discovery of Emmanuel … God with us, our Y’shua Jesus! They offer us other aspects of our response … Thanksgiving, Evangelism, and Offering.
Yes, we respond to God’s Spirit and presence with praise. We thank God for accompanying us, for seeing us through.
We share with others so that Y’shua’s and Isaiah’s prophetic words in Luke 4 and Isaiah 61 may continue to be fulfilled.
We give back to God, the source of all we own, so that there’s food – literally and spiritually – for all in God’s House to be fed.
Yes, siblings, when we know beyond the shadow of doubt that the righteous are not left alone, we also commit our lives to ensure that no one else feels forsaken. Even if they aren’t believers. It’s what God desires for us.
Point to Ponder
How are we responding to the knowledge that God will not leave us alone, and that our relatives will not become beggars? Let’s resolve today to be better at appreciating God’s gift of accompaniment.
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May all we seek be found in Christ
