God Is There 5

Isaiah 43:1-2

I will never forget our experience during our mission trip in Haiti. We were told that as foreigners, especially Caucasians, we should not walk the streets alone. It was a risk to do so. But one day we were faced with the need to walk a mile from the orphanage school to the children’s house. There was no ride and no escort.

So, with a whispered prayer, we left the secure walls of the school and went out into the street. We were immediately met by a man who was friends with the couple who run the orphanage and he walked with us the whole way.

That was a big reminder to me that God is there to protect us in difficult and uncertain times, and I have carried that memory with me as I go into any neighborhood or situation where I might otherwise feel at risk. I know God is with me and He will keep me safe.

This passage from Isaiah has become one of my favorite Scriptures. What does God remind us of in verse 1? What assurance is given? What promises are made in verse 2?

Although we should not test God in His mercy by deliberately putting ourselves in risky situations, we should remember that God knows us. He created us. He has known us since before we even came into being, and that relationship is one of tremendous love.

We are more than simply people who happen to know God. We are more than just acquaintances of the Almighty. We belong to Him. He has worked to give us salvation through Jesus Christ. He knows us by name.

When we face the troubles that life can dish out, even the problems of our own making, we must remember that God wants us to succeed and be well. He is with us at all times. He will guard us against the assaults and trials of life.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What can remind you that God values you?

Management 4

1 Timothy 5:8

I recently attended a Gideon dinner and we are planning on having a Gideon speaker at our church soon. The Gideons are wonderful at getting copies of the Bible into the hands of a lot of people, and discussions of their mission fields involve many places – eastern Europe, South America, the Far East, and especially Africa. The Gideons are good examples of people doing great ministry.

Not everyone is cut out to do mission work all over the globe. This passage from 1 Timothy shows us that we can do ministry in our own household. We must provide for our relatives, and especially for our immediate family. But the passage is more than just a suggestion that we lavish our families with luxuries and extras, filling their lives with abundance.

It seems clear that being a Christian involves providing for our families, and I believe one of the things we are to provide is a secure home where there is no fear of money problems – bankruptcy, eviction or imprisonment. Providing for our families means to give them a financially stable home. It means establishing a workable budget and living within that budget.

A stable home may require that fewer risks are taken. It means providing your family with the security of a steady income. It means paying off any owed debt in a reasonable timeframe. It means paying taxes and bills and functioning within the rules of society.

I believe it also means being an example to your family by remaining financially sound. You may need to sacrifice your desires so that money can be spent for real needs and not fanciful luxuries. You may need to pass up a “dream job” that carries some real risks, and instead assume a more stable job.

And I also believe that providing for your family and being an example to them includes being an example of faith. Establishing a budget that includes a tithe and charitable donations demonstrates your faith and trust in God. It will provide your family with the spiritual stability that makes them strong.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How do you rate yourself as a “provider?”