Strength In Suffering

Mark 2:3-5 NLT “four men arrived carrying a paralysed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralysed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.” There are moments in life when we just need to let others help us. Times when we feel so paralysed by our circumstances or suffering that we can do nothing in and of ourselves. Looking back for me, there were a few key people who really helped me in the days following our son’s accident, people who brought me to Jesus. How? you might ask. Well first and foremost by simply being there. By praying for me when I had no words. By weeping with me when tears were my closest friend. By sharing scripture with me to bring comfort and strength when I felt my whole world had been torn apart. It has been said that people can’t do what only Jesus can do. Whilst that is true, there is also a responsibility on each of us to carry those who are suffering so that they can begin to see Jesus again and reach out to Him. In the story in Mark chapter 2, there are four men bringing a paralysed man to Jesus and here we have a clear example of others carrying, because the man could not reach Jesus unless they took him. As far as we know this would mean that he wouldn’t have encountered Jesus or healing. This noble act of others enabled his life to be touched and ultimately changed. These men, whether friends or strangers took the time and effort to take him to Jesus and even dig a hole through the roof to lower him down because of the large crowd. Jesus saw that their faith was great. So often we equate faith with mental ascent, and I’m sure they believed that Jesus could heal, however, I prefer to think they had something that is called in Hebrew, ‘chutzpah’ . They had a dogged determination  to get this man to Jesus and because of that, Jesus rewarded that faith. The text doesn’t suggest that the man paralysed had any faith, but the men who got him through certainly did. There are times when we need to push through for the sake of the one suffering. They may or may not know God but could have suffered to such an extent that they don’t experience Him any longer. That’s where those around us who do know Jesus need to step up. Sometimes the numbness, pain, helplessness and darkness that our circumstances can leave us in can mean we are just too exhausted to reach out to the Lord for help. Perhaps some are able to hang on by fingertip faith. Hang on for dear life. https://www.strengthinsuffering.com/post/fingertip-faith Thankfully in my life, others stepped in to help, others needed to wash my feet and help me back up so I could start to walk again. I recently spoke on washing one another’s feet. https://www.strengthinsuffering.com/post/following-jesus-example-footwashing When people are suffering, there is a great opportunity for each of us to reach out and help, washing feet so to speak. Of course wisdom and patience and so many other things are needed when supporting those who are hurting. But reach out we must. Go the extra mile we must. Even when that person is seemingly doing well and back on track, we need to check in on them to make sure they’re experiencing Jesus. So often we want quick fixes in life and then to move onto the next thing, but very often it is not like that and there are people with whom you will need to be there for for the long haul. That’s where this idea of chutzpah comes in. A dogged, persistence, I won’t let you go until you bless me attitude. We need that for ourselves but we also need that in order to reach out to those in need. Prayer: Dear Lord, we know that You long to touch people’s lives. May we be an instrument in that process. Help us take up the opportunities that You put before us. Amen

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it”   John 1:5 NLT. For anyone who has suffered in some way, darkness can be a very present reality. Mental darkness is something that many people face today particularly since Covid. Depression, anxiety and stress are a few examples of mental pressures upon us. Charles Spurgeon who suffered bouts of depression throughout his life wrote: “The mind can descend far lower than the body. For [the mind] there are bottomless pits. The flesh can bear only a certain number of wounds and no more, but the soul can bleed in ten thousand ways, and die over and over again each hour”. Imagine being in a pitch black physical environment for a long period with absolutely no light whatsoever, not even a glimpse. This is what it can feel like for people suffering with mental darkness too. They can’t seem to find a way out. Sometimes people try and find a glimpse of light by using alcohol, drugs, pornography etc. The problem is, these things are just another form of darkness that exacerbates the darkness they already have. It’s never the solution. We will often try anything to get away from the terrible darkness that we feel. We all know that when we turn the light on at night, it expels the darkness. Therefore light is the only solution to darkness. Jesus said “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 Jesus is the true light and He alone can deal with darkness. When we follow Him we have the light with us - the light of life. I have followed Jesus for 33 years and yet when my son had an horrific accident I was plunged into a depth of mental darkness that I didn’t know was possible. Jesus hadn’t changed but my circumstances had. My life changed within a split second but Jesus was still the same. Often our situations in life can cloud us from walking in light. We find ourselves ending up walking in darkness, not by choice but by circumstance. I have to make a conscious decision each and every day and throughout the day to follow Jesus and walk in light. Darkness is never that far away for any of us but especially if you have suffered greatly. In fact for some darkness is so close it has, in a sense, become a friend. The psalmist experienced this feeling in Psalm 88:18. Jesus the light bearer walks with us in the darkness until there is a time when we come out of the darkness. That’s always His desire, that we are not under a constant cloud of depression and despair. We know on a cloudy gloomy day that the sun is only behind the clouds. The clouds, however, limit the sun’s true effectiveness. Once the clouds begin to break the sun can then shine in its brilliance. We all need God to break the clouds of mental struggle. I am able to write this today because I have a reason for the “hope that is in me”   1 Peter 3:15 . God has helped me through desperate times of darkness and He can for you too. In our struggles let us hold onto Jesus, the hope of the world, the light of the world. May we echo the words of the prophet, “Do not gloat over me, my enemies! For though I fall, I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light” Yes there will be times of darkness but Jesus the Lord is greater. Next time we will look at some steps that we can take to help us better overcome darkness. Prayer: Dear Lord, You know what it’s like to suffer mental anguish especially as You approached the cross. You therefore sympathise with us in our weakness and we thank You. Help each of us to hold onto You and help us to point others to You in their struggles. Amen

Alan unpacks the meaning of footwashing in Jesus day and its implications for us as His disciples today

The LORD is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made. Psalm 145:9 This scripture about God can be very difficult for some to comprehend. Many might reject God because of personal tragedy or trauma they see in the world and at times it can seem that God is anything but good and compassionate. For some He is just down right bad. For those who have just lost a child to cancer or those who are suffering with ill health or those who have mental health issues like PTSD, the concept of the Lord being good to all can be extremely difficult to grasp. We could ask that same question about our own situation. How has God been good to us when a lot of the time it has felt anything but good. We share some of the highs and lows of our experience over the past three years on our website. Here are a couple of blogs, both relate to the subject here. https://www.strengthinsuffering.com/post/looking-at-psalm-23-through-the-lens-of-suffering-6a https://www.strengthinsuffering.com/post/nothing-separates In spite of what any of us experience in life, the good the bad and the downright ugly, scripture declares  that the Lord is good to ALL. So let’s try and examine that a little more. Notice this scripture refers to ALL and leaves no one out. The Lord is good to ALL. So whether you’re an atheist, a Muslim, a Buddhist, a Hindu, or even a Satanist, God is good to you. Whether you’re seemingly doing well in life or whether you’re struggling, longing for  things to be different, God is good to you. How is God good to all? 1. God gives every human being the gift of life 2. God gives everyone the opportunity to know Him in Christ 3. God is seeking you today Let’s look at these each in turn… 1. God gives every human being the gift of life He is the very source of life itself. No-one is an accident. We are all on this planet by God’s design and purpose. David says, “ You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb”   Psalm 139:13 He says to Jeremiah “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you”. Jer 1:5. Just knowing that we are here by God’s design would help so many people who hate their lives, who have no self esteem, who have no purpose in life. You are not an accident. God made you and He has a plan for you in this life. This is why God is good to all. Some people wish they were never born. God is glad you were born and is the very source of your life. 2. God gives everyone the opportunity to know Him in Christ God hasn’t just created us but has created us so that we can know Him personally. No matter what you background, your education, your current religion, He desires you to know Him. Because of this the Bible says that God is so many things. He is longsuffering, He is kind to all, He is forgiving to all, He is merciful to all, He is compassionate to all etc. This is why God is good. He withholds none of these things from anyone. The life, death and resurrection of Jesus was for everyone. All peoples. Not just the Jews although it was to the Jew first, but goes on to include Gentiles from every part of the world. He is good to all because He doesn’t want anyone to finish this life without knowing Him. He desires each one of us to come and experience true life that only comes through knowing Him. 3. God is seeking you today, no matter what No matter where you are, what you’ve done, how good or bad you think you are, how successful, how down you are on yourself. God is the great lover. He desires relationship. If you are a buddhist God loves you and is seeking you. If you are a muslim the same holds true. No matter what your religion or no religion God is seeking you. He is that good. He said Himself that He had come to seek and to save that which was lost, Luke 19:10 . He seeks in order to save, to repair, to restore, to conform each of us back into the image of God. The image has been marred. Christ has done the work through His life, death and resurrection in order for the image of God to be fully restored. He’s the shepherd that will go and look for the one that has gone astray. If you’re suffering, God is seeking you through that suffering. It would be so easy to allow that suffering to distance you from God. I speak from experience that God draws near in those times of darkness, desperation and despair. He doesn’t stop seeking when we’ve got nothing to give. On the contrary He seeks us even more, if that be possible. Conclusion We will all have hard things to deal with in this life. We all will suffer to some degree, some more than others. However, God remains the same today as He’s always been. Know His goodness today, know His compassion today. As I’ve clung onto God these last three years, I’m realising more and more God loves me deeply and is good to me and wants me to experience that each and every day. Prayer Dear Lord, Thank You that You are indeed good to all and have compassion on all that You have made. May we, who know You,  continue to know that goodness as You uphold us each and every single day. For those who don’t know You, help us to show love and kindness and compassion as Your representatives, so that they may come. Amen

The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? Psalm 118:6 In the Bible, the writer to the Hebrews picks up on this verse and encourages the reader to say it with confidence. “So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’”   Hebrews 13:6 In context the writer is telling us to be content with what we have because the Lord will never leave us nor forsake us. v.5 This verse originates in 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.” One of the last things Jesus says to His disciples whilst on earth was “ And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Joshua as he was instructed to take the land that God was giving them was assured of God’s presence, of God’s strength and provision. Yes, God was with Moses but now God assures Joshua that He will be with him as well. Joshua 1:5-9   “I will not leave you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” No matter where Joshua was, no matter what difficulties he faced along the way, God would be there right with him. He would be on Joshua’s side. All Joshua had to do was obey and trust. Don’t we ALL need to know that at times. That God is on our side, even when it feels like our whole lives are falling apart. I’ve needed to know that amazing truth and still have to be reminded continually that God is on my side. What a comfort! When the battle rages and the enemy is hot on my heels, I know that the Lord is on my side. It doesn’t always feel like that which is why we have to be reminded by God’s word. When I returned home after over six months of living in hospital and a rehabilitation centre with our son following his accident, I knew I had a mountain to climb. That mountain for me was returning with Nathanael to the place where the accident happened. I know God said to me that He would walk that walk with me. That He would help me overcome this massive obstacle that stood before me. It was a giant to face, a personal Goliath and He enabled me to overcome. Overcoming isn’t a once for all job, it has to be done time and time again. As I travel up that same driveway to work each day, I need God who is on my side. David was able to say to Goliath “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. And “All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”   1 Sam 17:45;47 With God on our side, the battle, the fight is God’s not our own. I could never have survived what we have been through personally unless God had fought for me and for us. Isn’t it wonderful to know that the Creator of all things, the God who holds all things together by His mighty power, the God who was before all things, the God who spoke and it happened is on OUR side. I love Paul’s words in Romans 8. “If God is for us, who can be against us.   Romans 8:31 . With God on our side NOTHING can separate us from Him and His love. “ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?” Romans 8:35 With God on our side we are more than conquerors. With God on our side, whether we live or die, whether we have plenty or are in want, whether we mourn or are rejoicing we are on the winning side. In fact we are on the side that has already  overcome. Jesus said it is finished! He defeated sin, Satan and all the powers of darkness and also death itself. Prayer : Lord, we are so thankful that we have You to not only be on our side, but to also fight the battle for us. Yes, You ask us to stand, to be strong, to be courageous in You and therefore do what we can, but the rest is for You. Thank You. Amen

Over 200 times throughout the Bible, God is referred to as rock or a rock. 1 Corinthians 10:4  tells us that Christ is the Rock that followed Israel. “For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers,   that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptised into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.” 1 Sam 2:2  declares that “there is no rock like our God." A rock can, in the biblical sense, also mean boulder. A rock can come in all shapes and sizes. Some rocks you can pick up and throw. But God is a rock like a boulder. Have you ever stood on the beach and looked at some of the boulders around the edge. Some of them are huge. You can stand on them they’re so big. You can stand on them with the confidence that this rock isn’t going anywhere. It will uphold you no problem at all. It has most likely sat there for thousands of years, unmoved by anything around it. When our lives are being shaken to the core we can rely on the rock, God, who will not be shaken. When we feel like we’re losing our footing we need not fear because the rock beneath us hasn’t changed, He remains stable. That’s not to say that God our rock isn’t moved by ourmcircumstances, because He is. He is the suffering servant that comes down to us in our trouble. But even as He is moved with compassion for us He can at the same time remain firm in order to uphold us in the moment. So a rock this size symbolises strength and stability, but it can also symbolise protection and therefore deliverance. God is often referred to as the Rock of my salvation. He is a rock solid saviour. Considering the many battles fought in Israel, rocky areas were also ideal locations for strong, protective city fortresses. That’s why David goes on to say in Psalm 18:2   “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer ,” We can find refuge in God knowing that He can and will deliver us. We don’t need to worry how but just trust and stand on Him as the rock. When the people of Israel were coming out of Egypt, Pharaoh (the enemy) along with his army pursued them as they crossed the red sea. In the midst of all the complaining listen to what Moses says. “And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.” Exodus14:13 The word for salvation can be translated deliverance. When I think back to the early days after our son’s accident, I feared, I wobbled all over the place and couldn’t stand firm. How would God ever deliver us from this horrific situation? But God knows that just like the people coming through the red sea, I was frightened, I was exhausted, I was done. It’s in those moments that you need a Moses to stand with you and for you and declare that God will work for you for me today. No matter how I feel, No matter how low I am,  God, the Rock has not changed. He is still the same God as He’s ever been. As they traveled through the sea, Christ the rock was with them. He is the one that followed them through their journey. They drank, Paul tells us from the spiritual rock that followed them. Moses helped them do that. My prayer is that as you have read this blog, we have helped you in some small way to look again to The Rock who will never ever let you down. Do we still have our struggles? Of course. But it is the continued struggle that keeps us looking to Him and not ourselves. For when we are weak then He is strong. One of my favourite hymns is ‘My hope is built on nothing less’ by Edward Mote. There’s a line that reads ‘All other ground is sinking sand’. We can try and build and shape our lives on other things that aren’t necessarily bad, but will not be able to withstand the storms that come our way like Jesus does. Prayer Dear Lord, We are so grateful that You never change. You remain steadfast. That’s why we can rely on You every step of the way. May we be a people that both trust You and help others who are struggling to trust You as the rock. May we be sensitive to the needs of others as we journey through this life. Amen Tags Rock, Boulder, strength, Strong, struggle, Deliverance, salvation

The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1b The word stronghold can sometimes have a negative connotation. That’s why it’s helpful to look at other versions to gain better understanding of this verse. Here are four… The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?   NLT The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?   KJV The LORD is the defence of my life; Whom should I dread?   NASB The LORD is the refuge and fortress of my life— Whom shall I dread?   AMP The idea here is that David is portraying the Lord as someone who protects and gives security in this frail and, at times, vulnerable life. God is our stronghold because He provides safety, security, and a refuge in times of trouble, offering protection against enemies and challenges. Many times, especially in the Psalms we find this truth being echoed. David often found himself in despair even fearing for his life at times. Yet in spite of it all he was able to proclaim that God would protect him, that God would be his defence and therefore there was no need to fear or dread anyone or anything. This sounds so comforting, but we as humans struggle and as I know and many of you will know, when you’re in the midst of a battle, God seems so distant and it can be a horrifying place to be. When you experience extreme difficulties and there is nothing anyone can do you can feel lost, hopeless, afraid and left not knowing where to go or what to do. In our situation, with our son fighting for his life we questioned where was God? where was His protection when we needed it the most? The reality is that things happen in life and we can ask the questions and we should ask the questions. Consider David in Psalm 43:2 “ You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?”  NIV In spite of David knowing that God was his stronghold, he was still asking the question why. He felt rejected, he was mourning and felt oppressed. When I look back I can see that God was my fortress. Sometimes it’s only in retrospect that we can see. We can’t always see or experience it in the moment. Some do but many don’t. The important thing I would like us to understand in this verse, is that we should not fear, not be afraid or dread.  Fear does not come from God but from the enemy. 2 Tim 1:7  “ for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” I must confess that I dreaded the moment we had to sit in a small room surrounded by medics and top neuro consultants to give us the prognosis on our son. I was fearful. When we left the room I felt doomed, I felt numb, I felt a spirit of heaviness like never before, this was hell itself. But I remember Lindsay saying that God would have the last say not them. As I look back I can see that God was my refuge even in that dark dark moment and even though I didn’t feel it. The truth of the matter was that, He was, He is and will always be. Yes, we will be afraid at times, we will mess up, we will fail those around us not willingly but because of circumstances that have come our way. But it’s ok. God is our defence. He upholds us during those times. So often when we fail we feel like that’s it. God has given up on us. For those who struggle with strongholds in the negative sense, porn, alcohol, social media, success, materialism etc, God wants to hold our hands and see us overcome. For some, overcoming may take a lifetime and will only know the full realisation that they’ve overcome when they reach the life to come, but God hasn’t changed, He’s our defence, our strength, our stronghold all the way into the life to come. Brennan Manning is a classic example of someone who had the stronghold of alcohol in his life. Yet God used him powerfully and is still using him through his books and sermons today. Who knew God as his stronghold, his strength. Let’s be encouraged  “if God is for us, then who and what can be against us”.   Rom 8:31 Prayer : Father, thank You that You are my strength, my defence, my fortress. Help me help us to show others that that is who You are. You are not against us, You are for us. May we experience that for ourselves in the coming days. Amen

The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; Psalm 16:5 "Portion" refers to what a person is assigned or allotted, and "cup" what’s in front of us with regard to life, often used in Scripture to denote what God has allotted to an individual. Portion can also mean inheritance.    English Standard Version “ And the LORD said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance  in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion  and your inheritance  among the people of Israel”. Numbers 18:20  When someone’s will is read after death, they give a portion to certain people. Therefore those people are inheriting what’s been left to them.  God wants us to depend totally on Him in whatever situation or circumstance of life because He is our portion, our inheritance. There is no better inheritance than God Himself and we get to enjoy that now. The Levites did not receive a portion of the land that were entering, instead God was to be their portion and their inheritance.  It can be so difficult at times because often we find ourselves wanting other things to rely on, things that will make us feel secure, to feel provided for, to know our future is secure for example a nice comfortable pension or paid off mortgage.  God, however, doesn’t work like that. There are times when He will allow everything to be stripped away from you so the only thing that is left is God Himself. It is then and only then that we realise that HE is certainly enough.  The Bible character Job comes to mind here as he had all but his life stripped away.  I felt like that three years ago. Every part of our life was impacted by the freak accident that our beautiful son endured. God had to come through or I was finished. It took time but as I look back now I can see that He indeed was my portion, He was and is enough.  A man's "cup" is, in Scripture, his lot or condition in life. The psalmist says ‘ my cup overflows ’. Psalm 23:5 Jesus says ‘ Take this cup from me ’. Matt 20:22; 26:39 I often wanted the cup of suffering that was handed me to pass and to pass quickly and I still do at times.  The last part of this verse 5 says ‘ you hold my lot ’.  When receiving some counselling I remember saying to the counsellor, maybe I just need to accept my lot.  The great hymn penned by Horatio Spafford comes to mind when talking of our lot. A song that took me a long time to sing again with any true confidence.  When peace like a river attended my way When sorrows like sea billows roll Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say It is well, it is well, with my soul Sometimes it can take us a very long time to get to the stage when we can accept our lot, particularly if have suffered greatly. Sadly some never get to that stage.  If we do however, we find a place of solace when we know that God who IS my cup, my life, my all,  is also IN the cup of suffering so to speak, with me.  The cup is not mine to bear alone. If He is my cup, He will maintain and uphold me, in my lot, during even the greatest of trials.  Paul writes  “ Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead”.  2 Cor 1:9  He is indeed our inheritance, our cup and upholds us whatever befalls us.  I write none of the above lightly and certainly not glibly. We have suffered to a depth that I never thought possible. And there are many others who have had experiences that I will never have. BUT we can with God’s help find a way through the darkness and somehow begin to echo the words of David in this psalm. However tentatively to begin with, that will over time come forth with confidence and boldness.  Prayer:  Father, thank You for the encouragement that we gain from your word. For the likes of David who found comfort and support knowing and declaring who You are in the midst of the battle. Help us all, whatever we’re facing today know that You are for us, that You are our inheritance, that You are our cup and that You uphold us. Amen

The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? Psalm 27:1a We begin a new season of blogs looking at the characteristics of God and what that means for each of us. Every blog will begin with ‘The Lord is… Often we find the Psalmist, who is more often than not King David, throwing himself back on the Lord. He’s reminding himself of who God is. When tested in the crucible of life he knows whom his God is.  When faced with the darkest of times we so desperately need someone or something to shine a light so that we can begin to walk again. In the pitch black it is nigh on impossible to take your next step not really knowing what you will be stepping into.  Not only is God light but He is the very source of light. Before the sun shone, God said “ let there be light’ and there was light”   Genesis 1:3  John in his first letter proclaims “ This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all”   1 John 1:5  In his Gospel he writes, “ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” John 1:5  I personally, have known some very dark times especially in the months that followed our son’s life changing accident. God never ceased to be light in those times but darkness covered me like a thick fog and blurred my vision of the God who is light and has no darkness at all. I was very much walking in darkness because of the horrendous situation that was sprung on me. It seemed like the enemy had taken up residence in my life. Maybe your circumstances have made you feel this way as well.  Spiritual darkness is often equated with those who have no relationship with God in Christ. Spiritual darkness, however, can plague the Christian who knows his God very well. The key is to remind ourselves and with the help of others reminding us, that God is light and He can invade the darkness that we often feel.  One of the great well know Christians of the last century Dr Martyn Lloyd Jones suffered from what he called ‘spiritual depression’ and wrote a book by the same title.  One of the cures he believes is the habit of talking to oneself. Psalm 42:5  the psalmist asks himself the question “why are you downcast O my soul”? In the verse we are looking at today, David is talking to himself and reminding himself that the Lord is his light. Often, speaking the word of God out loud, can begin to lift us out of our dark pit.  This isn’t denying the situation that we find ourselves in, far from it. Some situations scar us for life and we may never be the same again. But we are reminding ourselves and affirming again who God is and what He can do in the midst of it.  He is my salvation. Salvation is a big word and in Hebrew it is ‘Yeshuah’. You may recognise the word as its the Hebrew name for Jesus. Salvation means deliverance, health, helping, salvation, save, saving health, welfare.  We don’t need to fear even during the darkest times. We do, because we are only human. However, we don’t need to, especially when we know the God who is light and is salvation and that salvation isn’t just some obscure thing that may or may not happen, salvation is a person! and His name is Jesus.  Prayer:  Dear Lord, when I am at my worst and feeling downtrodden and forgotten, may I be reminded that you are the light in the storm, you are the deliverer and you are Jesus, the one who came to save, to heal the brokenhearted, to set the captive free. Amen

Whatever we're going through in life, God promises to never leave us nor forsake us. When we sin we often think that God has run out the door as fast as He possibly could. Of course, our sin grieves Him, but it doesn't make Him love us any less or leave us. When He grieves He can at times hide His face from us, but it's never meant to be permanent. I find the hiddenness of God fascinating. He is always there to be found. We sin, we repent, we find God, His face turns back towards us. It’s a bit like a parent when their children go off course. In one sense you turn your face away at what they're doing, but you're still there for them. You still love them and want the best for them. You haven't disappeared. God is the One who took the initiative, because of His great love, to come down to this earthly quagmire with all of its brokenness, chaos and rebellion even while we were sinners. When we are suffering, it can feel, at times, as though God has upped and left. In the first few days following the accident of our son, I had no idea where God had gone, I felt abandoned, yet in my heart of hearts I knew I would find Him again. For those early disciples, when Jesus told them that He was leaving to prepare a place, going to the Father, they must have felt awful, devastated and fearful. John 14:3;12.  But He reassures them... V18   “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” V26   “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” The word for helper is ‘parakletos’ which comes from two root words: para meaning ‘by or alongside’ and ‘kaleo’ meaning ‘to call or invite’. So the parakletos is someone invited alongside to help in a needy situation. He is often called to help in a court case as a legal advocate, counsellor or just a friend - a ‘friend in court’. He is someone to encourage and strengthen a person in a hostile court, who can prompt answers when a defendant is stuck for them. The Holy Spirit/Helper encourages and strengthens us especially in time of need. He reminds us of His Word when we need it the most. In the early days after our son’s accident, God often encouraged us with a verse or something from His word that kept us going. How we so needed that during a great time of trial. God's Spirit hovered over the the waters in Genesis 1. It was empty it was void. It was chaos and could be described as empty, disorderly and formless. Our lives can often feel like this especially when suffering deeply. Yet God was present and God spoke, “ Let there be…" May we all know the God who is there no matter what we're facing. May we hear Him say, ‘"Let there be...peace, harmony, order, comfort, My presence." Prayer . Thank you Father that you don’t leave us in our mess and chaos. You come alongside to help. comfort and stand up for us in our weakness. May we all know that truth in an ongoing way. Amen.

Once again I thank you as I survey your wonderous cross It requires me to count all things as loss We are reminded today of your amazing grace As now I can behold your wonderful face My soul sings to My God to Thee That you would lay down your life for me You nailed my sin to the cross, I bear it no more  To forgive, and bring us to Father, that's what you came for.  Only you were able to pay it all, pay it all On bended knee and prostrate I fall I was lost but now I'm found How glorious, how wonderful the sound Bread of heaven broken for me I once was blind but now I see Nothing but the blood could set us free You did it as you died upon the tree  You scorned the shame endured the cross When it seemed everything was at loss It is finished you cried Now my life in Christ you hide Death could not hold you down As King of Kings you wear the crown Up from the grave you arose And here defeated all your foes Now you are exalted to the highest place Where one day we'll see you face to face We are forever changed never the same May I now live a life worthy of your name  Your whole life was an example for us May we therefore count our lives as loss Help us to walk as you walked as you shew So the world may know you are making all things new

When going through tough times it can be very easy to think we have nothing to offer and we can feel our resources have run out on every level. What difference can we possibly make to the world around us?  I’ve discovered in the last three years that people are watching and observing the way we are dealing with things. Christian friends and family in particular have often commented on what they see.  When we feel empty God can show up in ways that we never thought possible. I need to remind myself that what we do and say and just how honest we are, can actually be an inspiration to someone who is struggling in their own life and faith. A verse in the Bible that has touched me somewhat in recent days is one that many of us would often overlook.  Genesis 21:33 “Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God”.   Abraham comes to Beersheba and plants a tree. Why do we need to know that? Trees are most likely being planted everyday. But why a tamarisk tree? This tree is very slow growing - about an inch each year! It produces no fruit or flower, and until it is established with deep roots it needs a lot of care and watering. Seems like Abraham had his work cut out!  But what is amazing is that when Abraham planted this tree he knew it would not be for his benefit but for the benefit of those who would come after him. He was symbolically saying “I believe you God, and your promises to me and the generations after me”.  Abraham knew that with his care this tamarisk tree would grow and establish and put down deep roots to find water. He knew this tree does well in hot, arid, windy conditions where pretty much nothing else will survive.  Abraham knew this tree doesn’t have leaves, but needles with a high salt content which would provide cooler shade and shelter to future generations from the hostile conditions of the desert than any other tree or shrub. Abraham plants the tree in Beersheeba, a part of land that would become the promised land. The Israelites at this point don’t have any rights or privileges here. But Abraham plants the tamarisk tree in faith knowing that they would one day inherit this land as God had promised and this tree would benefit people decades later. I’m sure you can recall people who have planted things in your life, symbolically speaking, that are impacting you today. Someone’s testimony. A teaching. A ministry. Whatever it is, that was their tamarisk tree that would touch people, yes in their time but also hundreds of years later.  The challenge for me and all of us is, what are we planting? God can use any situation to impact others. I’ve read stories of others who have suffered greatly and they have encouraged me. I have found shelter and shade in the midst of the heat of suffering because someone took the time to write it down perhaps many many years earlier. They planted something that would have a lasting impact.  I trust that our story and how God is at work is of encouragement to you. My prayer is that it will be of great benefit to future generations when they hear our story either on a website, a book (one that we are currently working on) or some other means.  Let us all be in the business of planting Tamarisk trees.  Prayer : Dear Lord, No matter what trials we go through in life, help us to somehow use it for the benefit of others. In spite of pain and hardship that can at times seem unbearable, may we plant something of worth. Amen.