Dear Church Family,
Greetings in the Savior’s name! I hope this update finds you well and finding peace in the sufficiency of God’s grace.
A friend of mine just sent out a post that perhaps some of you have seen from other sources. It is a funny piece about how, being under a stay-at-home order, she is doing quite well, and has discussed the whole situation with her kitchen appliances—though, as she reported, the refrigerator was being “cold and distant.”
It was pretty funny, but I hope that none of you have been reduced to quite that state yet.
In Psalm 25 we read this…
Psalms 25:10 All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.
The paths onto which we are directed by Divine Providence are not always free of trouble or even affliction. They sometimes take us in difficult directions, but every path, no matter how dark for the believer, has this banner hanging over it.
On that path we are bound to find His mercy and truth if we are one of His covenant people.
Thomas Watson writes: As the painter intermixes bright colors with dark shadows; so the wise God mixes mercy with judgment. Those afflictive providences which seem to be harmful, are beneficial.
But even though this is always the case for the child of God, it is not always evident, especially while we are in the shadow of the path.
That is when we are to trust in the goodness of the Lord and to pray for the eyes to see that goodness even in the darkness.
2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
Linda Lane sent out a Facebook post of the “most fragrant flowers in her garden.” They look beautiful and perhaps we can imagine the fragrance, but to really understand what she is saying, we need to go and stand on her deck and breathe in that sweet scent.
In like manner, people hang verses like these on the wall and look at them and imagine their fragrant beauty, but then some trial comes along—some affliction—and you have to take the verse down off the wall and apply it to your heart.
You are no longer imagining it, you breathe in its truth and the sweet comfort of God’s promise fills the soul.
We aren’t doing many of the things we would like to do right now; we are constrained and held back, but even this path will be found filled with the mercy and truth of the Lord for all those who keep covenant with Him—who put their trust in Him and pray for the eyes to see the goodness of the Lord even in the shadowy darkness of an unexpected path.
Dear Heavenly Father, You give us such precious promises and blessed assurances in Your Word. And we know that these are sealed by the blood of the Lamb.
How we thank you for the assurance His sacrifice gives us of Your love and your promises to us. But we are bound to confess that at times, when the path You have chosen for us is dark and murky, we can become uncertain and even fearful.
O dear Lord, give us that unfailing trust in You that is appropriate for those who abide under Your covenant goodness, and give us the eyes to see that goodness even in the dimness of this hour.
Lord, for some of us, news has come of possible exposures to this virus—please be with and watch over all those we know and love.
Some of those who are precious to us have been laid off or are working under difficult circumstances and struggling to figure out just what to do and how to do it, as we await the “all-clear.’” Grant wisdom, patience and understanding where it is needed.
And by Your grace, heal the sick, protect the weak and cause us all to breathe in the sweet fragrant promises of Your Word to the blessing of our souls.
These things and more we ask in Jesus precious name, Amen.
