Carol Purves

‘The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? Hebrews 13:6

Sometimes I need to recall this verse. I can become worried about the state of the country, the state of my life and the state of my health. I think of Stephen being martyred but as he died seeing the promise of eternal life. His enemies were only able to harm his body, not his soul.

It’s just the same with me and you. Physically things can be bad, but ‘the Lord is my helper’ and yours. We do not need to be afraid. We must look up and not around.

Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and preserver of our faith.’ Hebrews 12:1

I love this translation using ‘pioneer and preserver.’ That means the beginning and the end; the alpha and omega and everything in between. Especially everything in between. That’s the bit we’re going through now, lasting 60, 70, 80 90 years or more. But the last bit is for eternity.

God has said, ‘Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.’ Hebrews 13:5

This means even in our darkest moments, especially in our darkest moments. And God’s ‘never’ really is never.

We all know the story of the footsteps in the sand. When life is particularly difficult we notice that there is only one set of footprints. Does this mean God has deserted us? No, it means He is carrying us.

‘You will seek me and find me , when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you.’ Jeremiah 29:13-14

I notice that little word ‘all’. Sometimes I’m half-hearted in my seeking of God. When trouble comes my seeking becomes a little more intense. He says ‘I will be found by you.’ So more intensity of seeking needs to be done at all times, good times as well as bad.

‘For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ Jeremiah 29:11

We often quote this verse, especially when plans go awry. But look at some of the words – ‘deliver’, ‘hope’ and ‘a future.’ We need nothing more, to be delivered, to have a hope and to have a future.

‘I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Saviour; my God will hear me.’ Micah 7:7

Waiting is a problem for us impatient human beings. There are a couple of quotes about it – ‘Hope deferred makes the heart sick’ and ‘Its better to journey than to arrive.’ Like all such sayings, there is some truth in them.

If we are waiting for something, it needs to be worthwhile. Nothing can be more worthwhile than waiting for God. So although it is difficult we need to ‘watch in hope for the Lord.’

‘The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field’ Matthew 13:24

We are sowing seed all the time. It could be the seed of discontent. There is a great deal to complain about in our country and in the world. Discontent never achieves anything useful. It can be a means of spreading the discontent and making others discontented too.

We need to prayer that we are sowing ‘good seed’, which builds up others and helps them in their path in life.

‘How do they call on the one they have not believed? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? Romans 10:14-15

Being a Christian is not being passive. There is work for us to do. People need to hear about our God, but sharing our faith is never easy. It probably wouldn’t be worth anything if it was easy. To share with strangers is easier than family and friends. But each one of us has a field of mission, whether abroad or at home. As our text says, we need to be sent; so this is a cause of prayer.

The other day I was at a Gideon meeting. What a wonderful work they do handing out Bibles. It is so easy to take the Bible for granted. But it is God’s love letter to us, a handbook for life and guidance to those in need. Stories of people who have been influenced by reading the Bible are uplifting. But we need to remember Romans 10:14. ‘How can they believe in One they have not heard?’

‘When satan tempts me to despair

And tells me of the guilt within,

Upward I look and see Him there

Who made an end to all my sin.

Because the sinless Saviour died

My sinful sin is counted free.

For God the just is satisfied

To look on him and pardon me.