Devotion for Thursday, May 21
 
...for he has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you."
So we can say with confidence,
"The Lord is my helper;
    I will not be afraid.
What can anyone do to me?"
                                                            Hebrews 13: 5b-6
 
            In one sense, this current "lockdown" feels as though we are stranded in time. What we thought would probably be a two-week period of time has turned into two months and we still aren't sure when things will be back to normal. In fact, what seemed at first to be simply a temporary inconvenience has turned into what we're told will be a new normal for an extended period of time.
 
            In another sense, however, we are all acutely aware that life continues to go on despite coronavirus or any other problems we are currently having. Babies continue to be born, people continue to pass from this life to the next, and almost every experience in between continues to happen at the same speed as ever. For instance, I've had to spend the last couple of months packing up the parsonage and, ready or not, I'll be moving in just a few weeks - a daunting task anytime, but perhaps even more daunting at the height of a pandemic.
 
            It's at times like these, when we watch life barreling ahead despite a troubling situation, that we have to step back and realize that we have no choice but the trust God both with our present circumstances and with our future. I believe that when we finally take that leap and place ourselves in God's hands, what we'll realize is that God is enough. Those wonderful words that come to us from Hebrews never fail to be a strong reminder of God's constant presence and care - He says to us: "I will never leave you or forsake you." The paraphrase, The Message, says it like this: "I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you."
 
            That promise should be a source of strength whenever we feel that life is out of control. In fact, it might be helpful to use those words as a kind of mantra to meditate on day and night. Because the truth is that God has not left us powerless at all; God has left us his Word. And it's more than enough.
 
                                                                   Pastor Janice
 
Let us pray: Dear God, life often gets in the way and we forget the amazing promises you've made to us. But today we hear your Word to us, we're mindful that you truly are in control, and we place ourselves in your powerful and loving hands. May we feel the peace and the confidence of knowing we are safe and secure in your love. Amen.

 
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