Fear not

One of the people that I admire most in life is facing a serious illness that doctors have told him will surely take his life. Every time I talk to him he tells me that the Lord is good and is always in control of our lives. He does not worry about his condition; however, I admit weakness, in that I do. I pray for my friend several times a day. He is such a powerful witness for God. His body is weak, but his faith is strong. The Bible teaches that God uses the weak to get across His powerful message. I ask the Lord constantly to heal this man and leave him on this earth to help others obtain the faith that he has. What a powerful witness for the Lord he is. God may need him more in heaven and call him home, or he may leave him in this world to continue witnessing for Jesus. My friend calmly and faithfully accepts either scenario.

Unfortunately faith like this man has is elusive to most people. As long as things go well, God is in control and is always good. At the first sign of trouble, many question God’s goodness and indeed His very wisdom. God never changes. Through the eons He is the same. Various things become fashionable or unfashionable as our various cultures change, but His law does not change. God is always good, all of the time. He loves us. We will not always understand everything that happens in life, but we can be assured of God’s love for us. He is always with us through thick and thin. We must have faith that God is in control. He is not the co-pilot. He is the pilot. Whatever happens to us on this earth cannot happen outside His will and He has a purpose for all of us. Some 2000 years ago David wrote the following Psalm that says it all.
_____________________

Psalm 23:1
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in
Green pastures;
He leads me beside the still
Waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of
Righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Yea though I walk through the
Valley of the shadow of
Death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff,
They comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
In the presence of my
Enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy
Shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of
The Lord
Forever.