Through it all
O Lord God Almighty, who is like You? You are mighty, O Lord, and Your faithfulness surrounds You. You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, You still them. (Psalm 89:8-9)
I find myself in the middle of the week being reminded of these verses yet again. I read Psalm 89 recently and these specific verses seemed to pop off the page, like one of those greeting cards with 3D animation. For a couple of days now they've been in the back of my mind. And today, I was listening to the radio and the song "Jesus, Your love" by Kristene DiMarco was on, and the same message resounded through the lyrics of the song:
There is a peace that stays though storms may come
I hear Your voice within the winds that blow
I hear Your song, it calls to me
Jesus, Your love
Jesus, Your loveSo let my heart tell You again
When seasons change and stories end
Your steady love
It will sustain me through it all
Jesus, Your loveThere is a strength that rises up in me
To know that You've been here before me
A strength beyond what I can see
Jesus, Your love Jesus, Your love
Every single story is different. The fire is more intense for some. The trials seem to not end for others. Right now, maybe you might find yourself in the middle of the sea, tossed back and forth by the waves, with no horizon in sight, no hope for a place to set anchor, and no peace for your heart. Through ALL of it, there is an assurance. The God who spoke the Universe into existence, who also made the ear and built the eye, HEARS those who cry for help and SEES us in our struggles. He is an ever-present help in trouble, like Psalm 46 tells us. He doesn’t leave when things get tough, but instead is ready to bring comfort and strength for the weary, healing for the brokenhearted and hope for the hopeless.
He knows your yesterday, He has your today and He goes before you in your tomorrow.
There is nothing new or too hard for Him, and there is nothing to fear when God is on our side. God has purchased us with the blood of His only Son and thus we are His. He holds us in the palm of His hand and nobody can take us out of His hand (see John 10:29).
Your life matters and is valuable to the Creator of the Universe.
In Hebrews 13:5, God promised us that He will never leave us nor forsake us. And, He is faithful even when we prove faithless. There is absolutely NO ONE like our God, who saves, redeems, sets free, heals, calms our storms and over and over again surrounds us with His love. The Psalmist boasted of God’s steadfast love at the beginning of the Psalm. It was the anchor he was holding on to. And it is an anchor for our lives as well - His love does not change and it lasts forever, even when our circumstances get hard. His love remains.
As a new day dawns, look up and fix your eyes on Jesus Christ. Run to Him for help. The One who has brought you thus far is able to carry you through it all. You might have to pass through the waters, but they will not overwhelm you (Isaiah 43:2). The darkness might seem to cloud your life, but His light shines through (Psalm 18:28). You might have to walk through the valley, but He is right there besides you (Psalm 23:4). The pain might be unbearable, but He is the One who brings healing to the brokenhearted and binds up the wounds (Psalm 147:3).
And through it all, in any storm, God still rules over the surging seas and stills their waves!
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. (Isaiah 41:10)
