"Frayed Around The Edges...

"

This life is a gauntlet at times.

I know that all of us here have been through trials and griefs, especially even more so in these past few weeks. It
isn't easy to live in this world, and it grows harder to do so by the day. We look all around us and see the world as it
really is, and it vexes us. The horrors of this world constantly remind us that we live in a sin-filled, sin-cursed
reality brought on by the original sin in the Garden of Eden, and that it has grown ever since. It seems the more that
we do for the Lord, the more this world crushes down upon us. We try to be helpful to others, only to be rebuked;
we offer a hand of friendship and it gets bitten; we do our best to serve the Lord, and we end up suffering even
more for doing so. Homes, jobs, family, friends, all of this seems to be targeted and fired upon all because we are
simply trying to serve the master who saved us from an eternity of separation by his own sacrifice upon the cruel
cross of Calvary.

Yup, it's official: this world stinks.

But imagine how bad it must stink to God...

He created a beautiful world teeming with all sorts of life. Perfect in every way, with incredible vistas of beauty,
lush forests, majestic views of mountains, pure rivers of flowing water, diverse plant life of all kinds, and no
sickness of any sort. Work wasn't a backbreaking chore, and life was simply incredible to say the least.

Then in one moment, one fell swoop: it all goes to pot. And misery enters the world along with pain, suffering and
death. But even in that instance, God did not leave us to suffer alone. In fact, he has never left our side since day
one. He has been there for Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and the entire roster of the "hall of heroes" in the Book of
Hebrews.

And he is there for US.

God is right there with us in our trials and our grief, sharing our feelings and crying right along with us. He isn't
numb to our pain: he experienced it for himself as Jesus Christ when he came to earth more than 2,000 years ago.
He suffered all the pain and misery of the world on the cross when he died at Golgotha, and he suffers alongside us
when we suffer. He offers himself as comfort and hope when we are tried, when we are in agony, and when we
yearn to come home.

"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will
never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5)

Psalm 46 spells it out for us:

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be
removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be
troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. There is a river, the streams whereof shall
make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall
not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered
his voice, the earth melted. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Come, behold the
works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth;
he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am
God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of
Jacob is our refuge. Selah."

We are not alone in this, but God is with us to be our Rock and our shelter. As Paul tells us:

"We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not
forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life
also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body." (2 Corinthians 4:8-10)

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? " (Romans 8:31)

No matter what life throws at us, we have a God who is greater than all of it combined, and who fight for us.

On a personal note: I feel for all of you. I know how it feels to be in a constant battle and to be worn down and
wearied. To be struck time and again, and to be pummeled endlessly, without mercy by this world and the forces
that Satan has at his command, and to be at the edge of surrender. To just want to go home, and see our risen
Saviour face to face, and to feel the utter peace that his presence brings.

I long for it too.

Hang on, my brothers and sisters.

Our help is coming; he is not far off, but closer than we think.

All of you will be in my prayers. (((hugs))) to all of you

YBIC,

-Robert