He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.

Psalm 91:15

This verse stood out to me today in my reading, because it is so encouraging. Initially, it may not seem so. I can’t think of anyone I know, myself included, who thinks Oh yea! Another problem to deal with! I’d rather my life sail along without any obstacles to get in the way of my plans. But I’ve lived long enough to know that problems and tragedies are a part of life, as Jesus tells us in John 16:33.

As I meditated on this verse, the truth of it rang clear in my life, because I’ve also lived long enough to find out that God does walk through problems and tragedies with me. Two words in this verse captured my attention, and I wanted to explore them further: deliver and honor. I think you’ll be encouraged by the nuances of these two words and the meaning that they give to our sufferings.

First of all, the word deliver is chalats in Hebrew. It has some interesting meanings including “to be equipped,” “to be armed,” “to make strong,” “brace up,” and “to invigorate.” This gave me pause. How many times have I thought as I was walking through a trial that I didn’t know if I had enough strength to get through this? Most recently, I remember thinking that when my son was burned in an accident two years ago. As I went through the debriding process with him, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to handle the horror of that procedure. But did you see what God promises us? God equips me, arms me, makes me strong, braces me up, and even invigorates (!) me so that I can withstand the troubles I am in. And He did. It was not easy, but God was true to His word. God will not let our troubles defeat us if we trust Him!

The word honor also has an interesting meaning. It is transliterated kabad, and it means “to be glorious,” “be honored,” and “gain glory.” I’ve never thought of my trials as being a means of honor and glory, but it would seem that in the process of our suffering, God gives us a spiritual honor and glory.

I know it is excruciatingly difficult to walk through times of trials, but I hope that this encourages you today to hold on to God. Don’t let go. He will walk with you, equipping you, strengthening you, and bracing you up for whatever lies ahead. If you feel like you’ve reached the end of your strength, then be even more encouraged, because that’s when the Holy Spirit takes over, if you let Him. He’ll give you a supernatural strength, or He will give you a time of rest to recharge.

Pray on!

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Do you or someone you know parent a chronically ill child? If so, you’ll want to listen to this encouraging Only By Prayer podcast with Kimberly Ehlers and Jane VanOsdol. Kimberly’s 13-year old son was diagnosed with a serious illness shortly after birth. Listen as Kimberly offers hope and suggestions to parents of chronically ill children. This is also a must-have for anyone who is a friend of family member of a person with a chronically ill child, as Kimberly shares way you can support the parents and family.

Kimberly has been happily married to her best friend, Randy, for over 15 years. Together, they homeschool their son, Seth. Kimberly received her bachelor’s degree in Mental Disabilities: Moderate, Severe and Profound from the University of Northern Iowa, and taught special education for four years before becoming a stay-at-home mom – her absolute favorite “job” ever! Kimberly is also a Christian writer and speaker whose heart is to encourage moms like her with children who have serious illnesses.
Nurturing Hope.  Growing Faith.  Trusting God With Your Child’s Health.

Just click on the sideways triangle below to listen, or find us on iTunes.

Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business on great waters,

They see the works of the LORD, and His wonders in the deep.

For he commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea.

They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths;

Their soul melts because of trouble.

They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.

Then they cry out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses.

He calms the storm, so that its waves are still.

Then they are glad because they are quiet;

So he guides them to their desired haven.

Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the company of the elders.

Psalm 107:23-32 NKJ

I took this picture while watching storm clouds disperse from the early morning sky in St. Augustine. I love the picture the psalmist paints of God calming the storm so that its waves are still and then guiding His people to a desired haven.

What storms do you have in your life today? Ask God to provide a safe haven for you to rest in.

Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Although I have cast them far off among the Gentiles, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet I shall be a little sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.”’ Ezekiel 11:16

I stumbled across this verse as I was reading this morning and was really struck by the phrase “yet I shall be a little sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.” The Hebrew word for sanctuary also means “sacred place” or “holy place.” God was judging Israel for its sin and had scattered His people among foreigners, yet God still was a sanctuary for them right in the midst of where they were.

Jesus is still doing that very same thing for us today. No matter where we are, through our faith in Jesus, God has planted in us His Holy Spirit who resides in each one of us. Are you a missionary living in a foreign land? God will be your holy place. Are you traveling for work this week? God will be your sanctuary of refreshment. Are you trying to survive in a hostile work environment? God is your familiar refuge. Are you living out your calling in your busy home with little children on your hip or teens coming and going? God is your oasis of peace. Perhaps you’re in your golden years. God is your inspiration for serving others.

No matter where your corner of the world is, remember that God is your sanctuary, your holy place, your home. Nestle your heart in Him and draw from His well of love and security as you serve others today in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Pray on!

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Welcome to Lent Day 26! Today is our last day in our focus on simplicity. We will take a look at the importance of our words. We’ll learn how important what we say is to God.

To read today’s devotion, just click on the link below.

Lent Day 26 Yes Be Yes

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Welcome to Day 23 of our Lenten Devotional! We are continuing our study this week on the topic of simplicity. In today’s devotion, we have to take a hard look at our schedules. Are we spending our time in the areas God wants us to, or are lives out of kilter? Just click on the link below to read today’s post about redeeming the time.

Lent Day 23, Redeeming the Time

Have a blessed day!

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