Devotional for 10/26/14
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." Psalm 46:1-3 (NIV)
written by Jan Andersen
This weekend our church celebrates the Reformation, commemorating when Martin Luther, a monk, challenged the status quo in the church. He questioned some long term teachings that were entrenched in the life of the church at that time. It was something with which he had struggled for years. He was not the first to question those things, but he was the first to survive questioning them... others before him had been put to death. It took a lot of prayer and fortitude to stand on the firm foundation of faith in the Word of God over the familiar traditions.
There are times when we also need to make changes that are difficult. Even if we don't believe we are at risk of losing our lives, we resist change or cringe at the thought of rocking the boat. We get comfortable with the old patterns, whether they are healthy or not. Though we may see danger in remaining in the same rut and begin to think about moving in a different direction, we slip back into that old familiar deadly groove. Sometimes the banks of that road are so steep and high that we cannot see what is better beyond them. Sounds are blocked out by the earthen walls of that trench, so we can't hear the promise of something greater. Nor can we smell the flowering trees that will go begging to be harvested. If only we could climb out of the furrow we've dug for ourselves in the old ways that falsely provide comfort and safety. Eventually we might even become buried alive there.
The good news is that God is always just over the ridge, ready to pull us out of that rut if we let him. Even if the oceans rise, flooding the road and eroding the earth from under our feet, God will provide a way out for us. Though we may repeatedly try to stand back up on our own only to fall again, we can turn to God for forgiveness and for the power to move forward in his direction. We can stand firm on his foundation. He is our refuge and strength at all times!
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." Psalm 46:1-3 (NIV)
written by Jan Andersen
Another scripture has brought to mind another scripture that says much of the same concept. "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13
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