Friday 24 May 2013

Friday Reading: Isaiah 40:1-11

Key Verse: Isaiah 40:11
11  He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

Devotion:
Each of us is going to have to face struggles in our lives, not just because we are all different or alone at times or whatever; it is because the world is actually a corrupt place. When we start out we may not be very corrupt, but the longer that we live, or try to live, on this planet we continually grow more corrupt with the world around us. We may try to separate ourselves from the world and we may try to live our lives for God, but we still do get affected by everything around us. It is a struggle. And as a Christian we face a huge struggle because we refuse to give in to the things that the rest of the world will brush off as being normal.

The more that we try to lift ourselves up the more that we will trip up and fall and each fall will bring another bit of disappointment and despair along with it. We need outside help in order to be able to rise above all that the world will hurl at us. We need a helping hand to guide us every step of the way. That hand, that guide and that wisdom all come from God, through Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

As long as we are willing to trust in our Good Shepherd we will find strength where the rest of the world gives in and fails. We will find guidance when the rest of the world is lost in the maze. We will find wisdom being given out where the rest of the world is grasping at straws that fail under the strain when tried.

Christ continues to show us all that He has done and to try to explain to us that what He accomplished on the cross was enough and will always be enough. We just have to put the ways of the world aside and fully trust in Him. We do have to be aware that Satan is around and that he will be doing all sorts of things to try and detract us from the truth that Christ has laid out for us in His Word. The evil one will continue to drop things in our path that will distract us and make us fail in our walk with God. Why will we fail? Because we are weak and we give in when we find things get a bit tough. We give in when we think we see an easier way. We give in because we are weak. But Christ is strong and able to do anything with us – trust in Him and Him alone!

Points to Ponder:
Where do you find your strength in times of trouble?

Do you cast your burdens on Christ?