“Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore; those who are loyal have vanished from the human race. Everyone lies to their neighbor; they flatter with their lips but harbor deception in their hearts. May the Lord silence all flattering lips and every boastful tongue; those who say, “By our tongues we will prevail; our own lips will defend us; who is lord over us?” “Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise” says the Lord. “I will protect them from those who malign them.” And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times. You, Lord, will keep the needy safe and will protect us forever from the wicked, who freely strut about when what is vile is honored by the human race.” Psalm 12
Has this fallen world brought you stress today? As a senior adult, I’ve learned that stress comes in many different forms; the people at work who would rather than work spend more time complaining about work. The neighbors across the fence who bend your ear complaining about their ‘other’ neighbors and you can see the worn path between their houses as you were also their ‘other’ neighbor. Family members who don’t live up to your expectations or don’t see eye to eye with you and then there are those smooth political figures who spend your tax dollars in ways that fill their personal coffers and drive our country further into debt; is God watching us? Does He hear our prayers?
The Haitian word for ‘stress’ is “tèt chaje” and this Haitian child has stress in her life too, but her stress is different from your stress. Today, she wonders if there will be food at her school as she has heard the vodou priest has cast a spell on the cooks and they will be sick today and there will be no food at school. Is God watching over this child today? He sees, He cares, He knows and He is aware of the need at her school.
Satan wants you, this child and me to doubt our Heavenly Father telling us that He doesn’t care about us. Sometimes, we get stressed out worrying about today and tomorrow; life is not fair, if He cared He would do something now! I have seen people who put a dollar a week into the collection plate and live in a big house and travel to fun places and seem to have it all; why do I have to tithe? Is our Heavenly Father watching?
Why should I give forty cents to feed this child living in a poor, third world country? Others tell me it’s not really our problem; God can take care of her. Our Heavenly Father has a plan for this child and for you and me; our lives have a purpose in His creation. We are called to trust in Him, seek His wisdom and go out into this sin filled world and seek and save the lost and prayerfully bring them the hope of Jesus Christ. I close today with the words to the hymn ‘I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus’ that was written by Frances R. Havergal in 1874.
“I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus, trusting only Thee; trusting Thee for full salvation, great and free. I am trusting Thee for pardon; at Thy feet I bow, for Thy grace and tender mercy trusting now. I am trusting Thee for cleansing in the crimson flood; trusting Thee to make me holy by Thy blood. I am trusting Thee to guide me; Thou alone shalt lead, ev'ry day and hour supplying all my need. I am trusting Thee for power; Thine can never fail. Words which Thou Thyself shalt give me must prevail. I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus; never let me fall. I am trusting Thee forever and for all.”
Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you,
Jay