Yesterday, I started writing out what was on my heart regarding an encouragement I sent to my friend and it went much further than I thought it would go, so I paused, not wanting to overwhelm anyone with too much at one sitting. Regardless, here is part two. (If you missed part one, click here >> Seriously! Part 1)
Many times after writing my opening prayer, unbeknownst to me, God has already laid the foundation for the way He will lead me. It has happened to me numerous times, but it never ceases to amaze me to see God at work in me!
Yesterday I wrote, I feel that sometimes I am all over the place, but You are the immovable rock upon which I stand.
The Old Testament book of Joshua begins with God handing the reigns of leadership over to Joshua upon Moses’ death. There was so much yet to accomplish, so many big hurdles to overcome. And the Israelites alone would have been more than enough to handle! But God didn’t send Joshua out to do the job alone. God spoke to Joshua directly, saying,
“This is my command – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (NLT)
In the text I sent my friend, I said, God will hold you tight and will not let go.
Understand this – God has got you in the palm of His hand and nothing can get to you that He is not there standing right beside you. His love cannot be conquered. Nothing in heaven or on earth can get between you and God.
You are precious to Him. He sacrificed His one and only Son that you might be redeemed. You were lost in your sins with no means of saving yourself. From birth, you were sold out to sin, but He paid the ultimate price – His very blood…every last drop – to buy you back for Himself! He did it all for you… and He will not let you go!
Looking for a passage of Scripture that came to mind, lo and behold, a passage preceded it that clearly lays out what I just said. But Paul’s words in Romans 8 have such a greater impact! (And again, don’t rush through them…read them thoughtfully…and deliberately. I challenge you to let them soak into your heart.)
What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? … No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. vs31-35, 37-39(NLT)
What a wonderful promise! An assurance with which nothing compares! And surprisingly enough, I am still not quite done. So, until tomorrow…
(to be continued)
