Jeremiah 11: 1-8, 14-20
Romans 6: 1-11
John 8: 33-47
Where do you turn when you are at the lowest of lows? Sometimes it’s a friend, sometimes it’s a thing, sometimes it’s hiding, but hopefully it’s God. In Psalm 88 the author cries out to the Lord daily he says. He cries for help, lifts up his prayer and yet still wonders if the Lord is rejecting him.
The good news is, we can ALWAYS pray, and God will always hear us. We may not always feel His presence, but we continue to pray. This particular psalm doesn't seem to offer hope, but this author didn't know what we know.
We know Jesus came and died on the cross for us. We know we have God’s grace when we have Jesus in our hearts. We confess, we believe, and we have hope.
But how do we feel His presence especially in the midst of tragic times? Maybe it’s in forgiveness. One of my absolute favorite songs is Matthew West’s Forgiveness.
It’s the hardest thing to give away
And the last thing on your mind today
It always goes to those that don’t deserve
It’s the opposite of how you feel
When the pain they caused is just too real
It takes everything you have just to say the word
Forgiveness
...
It’ll clear the bitterness away
It can even set a prisoner free
There is no end to what its power can do
By what you see through eyes of grace
The prisoner that it really frees is you
So, let it go and be amazed
Forgiveness
I pray you do feel His presence and the peace that only comes from Jesus. Practicing forgiveness is hard, but that’s exactly what God did for us. Thank you, Jesus, that my sins are washed away with your crucifixion and resurrection. Thank you for your grace, your mercy, and your forgiveness. We praise your name! And we continually ask for your help during times of trouble.
Angie Foster