July 13, 2021

Sweet Sister,

 

As the day for Paul’s surgery approaches, my heart is filled with conflicting emotions.  They range from anxiety and borderline terror to peace and confidence that God is in control.  I believe that considering all that is involved in this situation, such emotions are normal.  The unknown is always a scary place to be.  Satan understands this as well and takes full advantage of the time to weaken my faith.

 

It is a time of choice.  What emotions will I choose to dwell on?  What emotions will I allow to control me?  Will I listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit or the voice of Satan?

 

Psalm 23:4 says:

                                Yea, though I walk through the valley 

                                    of the shadow of death,

                        I will fear no evil;

                                    For You are with me;

                        Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

I found out in my research that there is an ancient trail up to Jerusalem which climbs above a deep precipice the Jews call, “The valley of the shadow of death”.  It is a steep, dark canyon where the sun only shines when it is directly overhead.  David tells us that even when he faces the darkest, scariest times possible, he will not be afraid for God is with him.

 

II Timothy 1:7 is one of my favorite “go to” verses when I feel out of control.

                                For God has not given us a spirit of fear, 

                        but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

This verse tells me that when I am feeling overwhelmed by fear that the feeling is not coming from God.  God does not cause us to be fearful.  He causes us to feel powerful.

 

Sweet Sisters, as I write this I am reminded of a scene from a possible cartoon from my childhood.  The main character is walking down a dark scary street.  Neon signs keep popping up along his path.  One sign says, “BEWARE DANGER AHEAD!”  Another says, “KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN!  EVIL LURKS IN THE DARK!”  There is sign after sign warning of danger and despair.  But, there are other signs as well.  Signs of hope and reassurance.  Signs that promise guidance and protection. 

 

Today I want to share with you some of the “good signs” that God has posted along the dark and scary paths that we travel.

 

The first big sign God posts is:

 

“DO NOT BE AFRAID.  

I AM TRAVELING WITH YOU”

 

 

                Isaiah 41:10   So do not fear, for I am with you;

                                                do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

                                                I will strengthen you and help you;

                                                I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

                Joshua 1:9       “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God 

will be with you wherever you go.”

                Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. 

                        Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, 

                                                for the Lord your God goes with you; 

                        he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

 

Another sign God posts is:  

 

I’VE GOT THIS!  

I WILL FIGHT FOR YOU!

 

 

                Isaiah 12:2     “Surely God is my salvation;

                                                I will trust and not be afraid.

                                    The Lord, the Lord himself, 

                        is my strength and my defense;

                                                                        he has become my salvation.”

            Psalm 34:17-18            The righteous cry out, 

                        and the Lord hears them;

                                                                        he delivers them from all their troubles.

                18            The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

                Psalm 18:28-30        28 You, Lord, keep my lamp burning;

                                my God turns my darkness into light.

                                                29 With your help I can advance against a troop;

                                with my God I can scale a wall.

                                                30 As for God, his way is perfect:

                                The Lord’s word is flawless;

                                                he shields all who take refuge in him.

            Ephesians 6:10   Finally, be strong in the Lord 

                        and in his mighty power.

 

The next sign we see is:

 

I WILL BE YOUR GUIDE

 

 

                Psalm 32:8    I will instruct you and teach you 

                        in the way you should go;

                                                I will counsel you 

                        with my loving eye on you.

            John 16:13-14            13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, 

                        he will guide you into all the truth. 

                                                He will not speak on his own; 

                        he will speak only what he hears, 

                                                and he will tell you what is yet to come. 

                        14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 

            Psalm 119:105           Your word is a lamp for my feet,

                                                a light on my path.

            II Timothy 3:16        All Scripture is God-breathed 

                        and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting 

                                                and training in righteousness,

God has posted many signs that we can choose to focus on.  The last one I want to point out to you is one you really don’t want to miss:

 

OVERFLOW WITH HOPE

 

 

Hope is mentioned approximately 129 times in the Bible.  In Hebrew the work (TIKVAH) means expectation – it also means cord of rope which come from a root word to bind or to wait for or upon.  Remember the old quote “When you’ve reached the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on”?  It is the confident expectation of what God has promised and its strength is in His Faithfulness.

                Ephesians 1:18 – 20   I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same

          as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ

          from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 

                Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope 

            we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

 

These two passages give us great insight into the power of hope, but my favorite passage is found in Romans 15:13.  It was Paul’s prayer for the Roman Christians and it is my prayer for you:

                            May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace

                      as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with

                      hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

This is the prayer I chose to focus on as I travel this emotional journey of conflicting emotions over the next few weeks.  Please keep Paul and me in your prayers during this time that in all ways God will be honored.

 

Debbie