East End

2-10-08

Text: Romans 8:35

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword” (Romans 8:35)? Paul asks an important question here. We live in a world that if full of trouble and disaster. All you have to do is step out your back door this morning to smell the smoke or turn on your television to see just how destructive the fires have been. And yet through it all, Jesus is still right there holding your hand through it all saying I love you and it will be alright. Yesterday Diana and I left the church council meeting to go help family in Montvale get ready to evacuate if necessary. As you can imagine when we got there many people were worried, but as the day dragged on we saw God’s hand of protection. As of this morning they still have not had to evacuate, the winds are diminishing, and the firefighters are getting a better grip on the fire. The sentiment echoed yesterday afternoon was “I’m glad you were here, but I’m glad that we didn’t need you.” Nevertheless we know that there are people this morning who are faced with the task of rebuilding after losing everything. I have been in a situation in which rebuilding was necessary. When I was a boy my parents’ house caught fire. We had to practically start over. Memories were lost, things were burnt, but we were all alive and grateful that God had spared us. No matter what comes in life loss of a job, loved one, house fire, etc. Jesus is still there! He is still God, He is still on His throne, and He will bring you through whatever is happening. There is a key though, you must turn it all over to Him. First you must turn control of your life over to Him. When you do that He gives you eternal life (Rom. 10:13). Second you must turn over control of your situation (family, job, friends, etc). God commands us that He must be first in our life and then everything else (Matt. 2:37-40). When we do that He promises to guide every step of our life. There is no safer place to be than in the hands of the one who created the earth, who knew you when you were formed in your mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13, 14), and who even knows the number of days of your life (Psalm 139:16). Please pray for those families who have lost their home and even those who have been evacuated. If you are one of them please know that we have a loving, merciful God who will walk with you every step of the way if you will just call upon His name (Rom. 10:13).