Israel’s Strength and Consolation Day 13
Open Your Bible
Exodus 15:1-3, Psalm 68:34-35, Luke 24:44-49, John 16:28-33, 2 Corinthians 12:6-10, Ephesians 6:10-18; Philippians 4:4-14
BY Bailey T. Hurley
During Advent, we sing songs like “Joy to the World” and “Silent Night” with jubilant and peaceful tones, the season ushering in “good tidings” to those of “good cheer.” But there’s real sadness all around us, maybe inside us too. Yet in the Christian faith, we are given permission to hold joy and suffering together and still rejoice. As we read through today’s scriptures, John 16:33 helps us walk through the hard things while also celebrating and anticipating our deliverance in Jesus.
“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace.
You will have suffering in this world.
Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
—John 16:33
Many Christians think that once they accept Jesus all their troubles will disappear. Yet Jesus is very clear that suffering is a part of the human experience. Maybe you feel like Paul, and you see your “thorn” as a way for God to humble you (2Corinthians 12:7). Or maybe your suffering has no explanation other than living in a fallen world. The same God who used Israel’s suffering to reveal His great power gives purpose to even our most senseless hardship to reveal His power (v.9).
After the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, Moses praised God, singing, “The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation” (Exodus 15:2). How soon afterward did the Israelites find their circumstances too hard and begin to grumble against God? Pretty soon. We, too, quickly forget the power God has to deliver us. Unlike the Israelites’ response to hardship, we can continue to trust God because “The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people” (Psalm 68:35).
Courage as a Christian may not look like someone having it all together. True courage is taking our weaknesses to God and allowing Him to be our strength (2Corinthians 12:10).
The God who defeated Egypt is the same God who defeated our great enemy. In sin, we were enslaved. But Jesus took the ultimate suffering, was raised on the third day, and the “forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed in his name to all the nations” (Luke 24:47).
Jesus has victory over all suffering. Trials are hard, but He knows what we need and provides enough for us to find hope each day as we wade through the difficult waters of life. Our strength and comfort are found in knowing the same God who delivered Israel is the same God who delivers us—He has done it, and He will do it again.
78 thoughts on "Israel’s Strength and Consolation Day 13"
-
Praying with you for Jesus to stay with them and walk with them until they take his hand
-
I ask for prayer for my husband. I pray that his desire to be present in the church grows. Light in him a new fire.
-
beautiful!
-
❤️
-
Praying for your family, Lauren!
-
Thank you for having the strength to share your testimony with others. This has definitely given me some perspective. I cannot fully relate to the extent of the situation you’ve gone through, but I can relate in other ways. I am diagnosed with bipolar II. My husband and I are having tension in our household due to my impulsive spending habits. I also tend to ruminate on things over and over again. Lord heal us both from our minds and allow us to keep the Father in mind.
-
Sisters, I ask for prayers. My husband and I do not come from believing backgrounds. All together because of divorces in our families, we have 7 parents, 7 siblings, and a few grandparents who are very active in our lives and still, after 4 years of my husband and I actively living our our faith in front of them and now having two sons we are raising to know Jesus, have seen zero movement in all of our family. We’ve taken so many steps it’s too much to count… talks, letters, invitations, bearing fruits of the Spirit genuinely (of course we’re not perfect), purchasing them Bibles, PRAYING…… no movement that we can see. TODAY, God absolutely wrecked me. He broke my heart. I feel such a holy pressure to stop taking pretty approaches about showing Jesus to them and start showing them my desperation and the seriousness of the matter. Today my mom came over and I got to share my genuine love and desperation for her to just give Christ a chance. I felt movement there. This probably all sounds crazy but I feel the Lord moving and almost like he is pouring out His broken heart on me so as to move me to action in a more bold way. The timing seems good as people are typically more open to give something a try around this time of year. All this to say… please pray with me. I am desperate for these people we love to know the love and freedom that comes from a relationship with Jesus.
-
Sisters, I ask for all your prayers. My husband and I do not come from
Post Comments (78)