April 13th

April 13th

Sometimes in our lives it can seem hard to see God’s hand at work. But there are some essential truths that we need to remember that will encourage us.

He loves us more than anything! He is always with us! He uses all things for our good!

He loves us more than anything:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

He is always with us:

Matthew 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

He uses all things for our good:

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

When we stand on these truths then we can’t help but realize that God is ALWAYS moving, even when we don’t see it yet, even in the worst of circumstances, even when we don’t feel it. He is always moving, even when we feel like we are on a detour, even when we feel like a failure, even when we feel lost.

We can be confident in our Lord Jesus and in His love and in His promises. So take some time to examine your life with Jesus and look for the ways that He was moving when it wasn’t obvious. Hindsight is 20/20 right? Look back at His hand. If you weren’t walking with Jesus I bet you can still discover times that the Holy Spirit was drawing you to Him, planting seeds and watering them to bring His fruit in your life. For our God is faithful, He will always love us and draw us to Him.

Think about a time in your life when you thought the situation was hopeless or nothing good could come from it and consider how God used that situation to shape you or teach you or draw you to His heart. You may not have known that until years later. Maybe He preserved your life through circumstances brought on by your own choices. Maybe by all accounts you should not be alive, but God planned otherwise. Whatever it is, consider His hand and ask Him to show you His fingerprints on your life.

Jesus, thank you for not leaving me to handle life alone. Thank you that you chase after me even when I turn the other way because you know I am your child and you love me. Thank you for not leaving me the way I was and for doing whatever it took to bring me back to you and to give me freedom. Help me to recognize your hand moving in my life and your fingerprints on my past. Thank you for loving me that much.