God is Our Comfort
Have you ever looked around you and wondered, “why is there so much evil, wickedness, and pain in the world?”
In Psalm 94, King David is extremely upset about the state of humanity. People are blaming God for the world’s rampant wickedness as though God did not see it and did not care (verses 1-7). So David reminds his audience that the Lord is Creator, and He knows, sees, and hears all that goes on (verses 8-11).
Because of God, David could say, “When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.” (Verse 19)
King David’s “cares of the heart” were because of the wickedness and evil he saw—and our world is not much different. But David’s consolation in all the evil he witnessed was his Creator and Savior.
That’s why He could close his psalm by writing, “But the LORD has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge. He will bring back on them their iniquity and wipe them out for their wickedness, the LORD our God will wipe them out.” (Verses 22-23)
This isn’t the most pleasant psalm to read. It’s full of pain and anger, sorrow and injustice. But, it’s a prayer of hope and perspective which we can learn from.
There is wickedness, injustice, and war all around us. But in the midst of pain and brokenness, we can follow King David’s example and look to God for comfort and peace. God took care of our shame and sin through the death of Jesus Christ, and He will one day take care of all wickedness and evil.
Until then, like David, we can say, “When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.”
By trusting in God and knowing that He will one day wipe away all wickedness, we can bring Him our hopes, dreams, fears, and concerns and receive His comfort.
So right now, think about the cares you have that need to be given to God. How can knowing God cheer your soul?
Faith Begins By Hearing
Romans 10:17 says, “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.” (NLT)
Everyone who follows Jesus first heard the Good News somewhere. At some point, in some way, the message of Jesus reached them.
The apostle Paul wrote these words in a letter to believers in Rome as he explained how people come to faith. Faith begins when the Good News about Jesus is heard. God uses the message of Christ to open the hearts of people everywhere with His beautiful invitation to new life.
But what makes this news so good?
Sometimes people hesitate to talk about faith because they have not fully discovered how good God truly is. Some imagine God as distant or angry, ready to judge. But that is not the God revealed through Jesus.
Jesus is compassionate. He knows every person, including you. He sees every story, including yours. He understands your fears, struggles, and burdens.
Jesus did not come to condemn the broken. He came to carry judgment on Himself, to ...