Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

October 3
Monday


DOES GOD
CARE?

READ:
Psalm 30
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Hear, O LORD, and have
mercy on me; LORD,
be my helper!
__Psalm 30:10
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Minnie and George Lacy were faced with some questions: "Is Jesus enough? Is our relationship with Christ sufficient to sustain us? Will He be enough to help us want to go on living? Does He care?"

While serving as missionaries in 1904, the Lacys' youngest daughter fell ill. Then in rapid succession, all five of their children died from scarlet fever, none living to see the new year. In letters to the mission board George Lacy wrote about their deep loneliness and grief: "Sometimes it seems more than we can bear." But then he added, "The Lord is with us and is wonderfully helping us." In this, their darkest time, they found that Jesus was near and He was enough.

Many of us will face moments when we will wonder if we can go on. If our health fails, if our job disappears, if we lose those closest to us, will we find our relationship with the Lord real enough to keep us pressing forward?

The psalmist reminds us of God's presence and faithfulness (Ps. 30). When he was deeply depressed, he cried out, "Hear, O LORD, and have mercy on me; LORD, be my helper!" (v.10). God gave Him healing and comfort (vv.2-3).

As believers in Jesus, we will never lack what we need to persevere. The Lord will always be near. __Randy Kilgore

````````````````````Though tempted and sadly discouraged,`````````````````````
```````````````````````My soul to this refuge will flee``````````````````````````
````````````````````And rest in the blessed assurance,`````````````````````````
````````````````"My grace is sufficient for thee." __Anon.```````````````````````
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Faith in an all-sufficient Christ enables us to press on.

**********************************Today's Bible Reading __ Psalm 30************************************

1 I will extol You, O LORD,
for You have lifted me up,
and have not let my foes
rejoice over me. 2 O LORD
my God, I cried out to You,
and You healed me. 3 O
LORD, You brought my soul
up from the grave; You have
kept me alive, that I should
not go down to the pit.

4 Sing praise to the LORD,
you saints of His, and give
thanks at the remembrance
of His holy name. 5 For His
anger is but for a moment,
his favor is for life; weeping
may endure for a night, but
joy comes in the morning.

6 Now in my prosperity I
said, "I shall never be
moved." 7 LORD, by Your
favor You have made my
mountain stand strong; You
hid Your face, and I was
troubled.

8 I cried out to You, O
LORD; and to the LORD I
made supplication: 9 "What
profit is there in my blood,
when I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise You?
Will it declare Your truth?

10 Hear, O LORD, and have
mercy on me; LORD, be my
helper!"

11 You have turned for me
my mourning into dancing;
You have put off my
sackcloth and clothed me
with gladness, 12 to the end
that my glory may sing
praise to You and not be
silent. O LORD my God, I
will give thanks to You
forever.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning'
(Ps. 30:5). David was no stranger to sadness and grief. In these two
poignant lines of Scripture we see how anguish can disturb sleep and
seem to last throughout the night. But there is always the assurance
that each new day brings the hope of God's providential deliverance
and help. This realization can bring joy even to those who grieve.