Corona Devo 3111

Dear Struggler,

I am not sure where you are with your relationship with Jesus at this point.  

You may have anger for the Lord/a mountain of “why’s”/ or bitterness.  I can relate to all of those.  And the Lord can take all of those feelings.

I do not have the understanding (this side of Heaven) to understand the “why” of our struggles here on earth.  But I have wonderful news for you—God says that even during difficult times (and He doesn’t say “if hard times come”, He says “when” difficult times come) He is with us (walks with us through them, and protects us!), and He has overcome our struggles (by dying on the cross and making a way for us to join Him in Heaven, if we submit to Him and give ourselves over to Him).

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.  ~John 16:33

The Lord has put this Chapter on my heart for you: to encourage you, and to give you hope.  It is in the Old Testament in a Book called 2 Samuel, and David is praying a song of praise to the Lord for His provision throughout David's life, and all of the good that has come to him.  (David also had trials, but he recognized the good—which is a great lesson that we can learn from David as we read the Bible!).

So, here is 2 Samuel Chapter 22 and I would like to just add my thoughts and encouragement for you as we read through it. I love you!  God is always working in our lives, and I know that He is working in yours.  Xoxoxoxo  

2 Samuel Chapter 22 

David sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. (2) He said: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; (3) my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation.  ~2 Samuel 22:1-3  

 These verses give me relief to think that the Lord IS all of these things for us (my rock, my fortress,  my deliverer,  my shield and the horn of my salvation).  We can depend on Him.  We can hide under His wings.  He is strong and we can be protected by Him.

~~~ 

(3) He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—from violent people you save me.  

(4) “I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and have been saved from my enemies. 

(5) The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. 

(6) The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me.  ~2 Samuel 22:3-6 

Does any of this sound familiar?  Over the days, and seasons, and years of life...sometimes pain and chronic challenges pummel our mind and body.  But take heart, and have hope.  There is more!  Keep reading….

“In my distress I called to the Lord; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears.  (17) “He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. (18) He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. (19) They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support.  ~2 Samuel 22:16-19 

He hears us when we call to Him!  He hears us, He loves us and the Lord hears our prayers and our cries to Him.  Talk to the Lord today and tell Him your thoughts, frustrations, praises, questions.  He knows them all anyway, but there is an intimacy that we develop with God when we lay our control down.  When we admit our insecurities to Him.  When we drop our egos before Him and when we give Him control (which He has anyway).  Release all of this to Him, and He is glorified by that, and He will bless our hearts and our spirits when we are able to submit to Him in these ways.  We can feel an immediate sense of relief when I lay one of my struggles down before the Lord. 

~~~ 

He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.  ~2 Samuel 2:20 

Let this verse fall over us today, and sink into our hearts today.  It is such a wonderful thought, and it is so amazing to imagine.  Another version of this reads “He led me into a place of safety”, and I pray that the Lord WILL lead us (our thoughts/anxieties/pain/healing) into a place of safety today.  

And we cannot miss the second part of this verse.  It is kind of like the main point of the Bible, hidden in this chapter in 2 Samuel: he rescued me because he delighted in me.  

This is why Jesus went to the cross!  He died for us (rescued us from the judgement we deserve by taking that punishment on Him) because He loves us.  Not only that...He delights in us!  Can you imagine?  Just as we delight in our loved ones, and we want the best for them—Jesus delights in us, and wants the best for us.  

The Creator of the universe DELIGHTS in us.  There is no negative part of that word.  Just love and pride, and a warm fuzzy feeling as we consider it.  Believe it!  The Lord delights in you, Struggler. 

~~~


Dear Struggler,
I am not sure where you are with your relationship with Jesus at this point, but the Bible is clear about where God is in relation to us.  
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  ~Matthew 11:28-30
Come to Him today.

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com

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