‘…Only the things that cannot be shaken will remain.’ Hebrews 12:27 NCV
Writing about a recent conversation, Rick Hamlin says: ‘Another guy like me said, "I dread going to work. All these layoffs are depressing. I keep thinking I’m going to be next. I’ve got a lot of work, and my clients appreciate what I’m doing, but I start worrying and there’s no stopping." Worrying is the worst of it… The stories are starting to pile up; friends, friends of friends, people from church, neighbours, parents of our kids’ friends. An early retirement here, a downsizing there, a severance payment, a pink slip, all put faces on the statistics and that gnawing fear can make every day an agony.’ The chances are, you may be feeling some shots of discouragement yourself-daily arrows of frustration that wear you down and steal your joy. Satan’s like a terrorist specialising in guerrilla warfare. He knows he’d lose big time if he went against the forces of Heaven, so he singles out individual believers. The question is, how do you stand firm when ‘everything that…can be shaken’ is shaking? Well, for starters, Isaiah says, ‘You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You…’ (Isaiah 26:3 NKJV) If Moses had focused on his circumstances, he’d never have had peace standing between the Red Sea and the Egyptians. His peace came from knowing he was where God wanted him to be. Peace in and of itself isn’t the goal; peace is a by-product of knowing: ‘How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear [honour] You, which You bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in You.’ (Psalm 31:19 NIV)
SoulFood: 2 Chron 5-7, Luke 19:28-40, Ps 103:13-22, Pr 19:17
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright 2012
