Wednesday 5 Feb 2014

Wednesday Reading: Psalm 66:8-12

Key Verse: Psalm 66:10
For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined.

Devotion:
We surely do have every reason to bless our God for all that He does for us and all that He has done for mankind. We need to remember how He has shown us so much love and mercy over the years as He has dealt with generation after generation of people that have turned away from their sinful lives and asked Him to be their God. I don’t think any of us could claim to have had an easy life where we have not had to face spiritual hardships, never mind the physical hardships!

But throughout all of this God has purposed to guide us and protect us as long as we have placed our trust in Him. The one thing that must always be remembered is that God has fully protected our souls throughout this fight that we have faced. No matter how much we have had to face, our souls have been held tight in His own hands! We may have faltered along the way as we had doubts about what we have done, but He has never doubted our spiritual safety.

We may have been allowed to face physical and spiritual wars and not just squabbles, but they have been allowed through our lives in order that we can come out much stronger people to face what He knows we will face ahead. That may sound a bit scary to some as they think what may be ahead; but if God has kept us safe this far, what do we really have to fear?

The goal that God has been aiming for will be reached because He has promised it so. He has told us that He has reserved a place in heaven for each of us who believe in Him. It is described as being a very large place where we will have rest; this is depicted as a mansion and a place where there is no more fear, tears, sickness or any other affliction. This is going to be well worth all the hassle that we face here and now; but that hassle is not here to show us how good heaven is, but to prepare us for the next step before we get to heaven. God is constantly working with us!

Points to Ponder:
How do you cope with hardships?

Do you trust God to strengthen you daily?