How are you? How is your week going? Have you taken refuge under the shelter of the Lord’s wings?
This past Sunday, I told a story about Bryan Stevenson, the founder and director of Equal Justice Initiative. As a young boy, his grandmother would hug him and squeeze him so tight he could barely breath. Later that day, his grandmother would ask him, “Do you still feel me hugging you?” Even till her death bed, she asked him that question. He says that he would not have persevered through the things he had experienced if it had not been for him feeling his grandmother still “hugging” him.
We looked at Psalm 61 this past Sunday. In the psalm, we see that David’s hope is not in a relief from his suffering, but his hope is in the Redeemer within the suffering. God is his refuge and strong tower. The Lord’s presence is His hope.
If you are in Christ, He’s hugging us. He’s holding onto us. He brings us under the shadow of His wings. Do we know that? Do we believe that? Have we experienced that today?
How do we know that this is true? How do we know that He is with us forever? How do we know that He will never leave us nor forsake us? It’s because Christ was forsaken on the cross. Christ was left all alone on the cross so that we will never be alone. He experienced the punishment for sin so that we may enjoy the riches of the joy of His presence forever.
Suffering will not go away completely on this side of eternity. That’s what Scripture tells us. But we know this truth of the gospel: We are not alone. Our Savior is carrying us, and He will never let us go.
Hope you have a blessed week, and see you on the Lord’s Day for worship! Take some time this week, and pray for your neighbor and our worship.
In Christ,
Pastor Tim
Image source: www.pinterest.com