Protected and Lifted Up

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Today's passage: Psalm 145  

“The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.”   Psalm 145:13-14

Reflect
*. How can I remain fearful or overwhelmed by life's pressures when the Lord is very near?

*. Do I truly believe that God "satisfies the desires of every living thing"?

*. Do I praise God even during times of trouble?

Notice that this psalm doesn't promise that we will live a burden-free life, unscathed by grief or suffering. The fact is, God doesn't promise us a life free from suffering ... but He does promise to be with us during those hard times, and to lift us up out of darkness. Psalm 145 makes it clear: We will fall ... but we will also be lifted up again. The key is that we need to reach out to God, to "call on Him," trusting that He will love us, care for us, and rescue us. God can't help us unless we fully open ourselves to Him.

Respond
Ask for change: Lord, please be with me in the difficult, dark times. Help me trust that You love me and are always nearby, ready to offer Your hand.

Consider what's real: Today, take a few minutes to reflect on a period of hardship or suffering that you weathered in the past. Can you see now, perhaps in hindsight, the ways in which God was with you all along? Did God use someone in your life to lift you up--perhaps in the kindness of a neighbor delivering a meal, or a friend offering comforting words? Or maybe it was His words themselves that shined the light of life and hope during a difficult time in your past. Sometimes we are better able to recognize the presence of God in our lives after a period of time has passed. Recalling these instances now may help you learn to recognize Him more easily in the future.

Additional verses to consider: Psalm 23:1-3, Proverbs 3:5-6. Ron Moore