God’s Peaceful Presence
by Rev. Tim Rash Jr.
Read
“Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” Habakkuk 3:18
Reflect
It was a Wednesday night when I first got that nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach. As I looked at the near empty shelves, I realized this is going to be something we have not seen here before, at least not in Columbus. I felt the urge to buy more groceries than I needed and understood for the first time, maybe, why others felt the same too. I prayed a quick prayer under my breath asking to feel God’s peace and love. I know He is always with me, I just needed to feel His presence.
I don’t read the book of Habakkuk very often. But in chapter three we find a prayer. It is at the end of that prayer that we find today’s scripture. I have heard these words many times before in song and they bring me great comfort. These verses are very appropriate for today. They remind us that no matter what, God is with us and we have reason to be joyful.
Habakkuk concludes his prayer by saying, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”
We may not have everything we need at the moment, or everything that we want to feel safe and secure. But that does not matter. We have a caring and loving Father who is always in control. And for that reason alone, we can push our worries aside, and rest in the knowledge that God is in control of every situation that we find ourselves in.
Why is it, I wonder, that in times of trouble, I sometimes forget the promises of God and embrace the fear the world is giving us?
Respond
Heavenly Father we give you great thanks today, knowing that you are in control of every day of our lives. We pray that we may feel that peace you offer and to help us trust in you to see us through each day of our lives. It’s in Christ’s name we pray, Amen.
Remember
What did you do today to put yourself in a better position to know the promise of God’s protection and to feel the peaceful presence that God has to offer?
Comment below or use a journal to record how God is with you each day of this journey.
God is Good, All the time. He told the wandering Israelites to take what they needed when they needed it and not to hoard. We need to heed these words today so that all may have what they need. Our faith is being tested in this trial. If we remain strong without fear, God’s glory will be revealed.