Psalm 3│2Chronicles 24.17-21│2 Corinthians 4.6-15│Matthew 10.16-22
Psaumes 3 | 2 Chronicles 24.17-21|2 Corinthinens 4.6-15|Matthieu 10.16-22
God’s help in time of trouble
God’s Word does not say believers will
be exempted from difficulties, sufferings, persecutions, tribulations and the
like. Neither does it say we might have trouble, nor that we will never have
trouble. It says there will be trouble (Mtt. 10.16-22; John 16.33bc).
The Lord’s words are a warning signal which should not be taken lightly.
Any of these troubles can strike us at any
time, at various levels, in varied ways and can stem from different sources.
Throughout the ages, believers have experienced, and are still experiencing
some form of persecution. However, there is some good news so believers don’t
have to live in a state of despair; we are not alone. The Lord knows all of our
struggles. He understands that to live as a true believer in this our troubled
world is not evident.
Believers will be cast down but will
not be conquered. God’s providential hand will control every situation. So all
we have to do is to remain grounded in the truth and depend only on His
protective power. We have to be very alert so that when we are faced with any
adverse circumstance, we will not fall into apostasy.
The Lord has promised us His peace in the midst of trouble and when life is tough. So, let’s rest in this wonderful assurance.
Dear Lord, we thank You for the
promises that give us peace, encouragement and hope. When trouble strikes,
please give us a heart of wisdom to lean on You. We pray this in Jesus’ Mighty
Name. Amen.
Les chrétiens
ne sont pas épargnés de difficultés, de souffrances, de persécutions, de tribulations
et d’autres désagréments. Quand tout semble noir, tournons les yeux vers l’Eternel.
Sa paix est là.
Lucy
Limunga Fonderson
Collect for
Lucy: God
our redeemer, whose Church was strengthened by the blood of your martyr Lucy: so
bind us, in life and death, to Christ’s sacrifice that our lives, broken and
offered with his, may carry his death and proclaim his resurrection in the
world; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Lucy was
honoured in Rome from the sixth century onwards. Her name means ‘light’ and
this, together with the extravagant claims of the legends about the
circumstances of her martyrdom, make her the saint invoked for those with eye
diseases.
Although the
detailed account of her death is legend, it is based upon the martyrdom
of a young female at Syracuse in 303–4. The Diocletian persecution was intense.
Lucy is an example of those who have given their lives for the sake of the
gospel, and whose full story has been lost in time.
Extract from
Saints on Earth: A biographical companion to Common Worship by John H Darch and
Stuart K Burns
Image: 'Altar of St Lucy, table: St Lucy before the Judge by Lorenzo Lotto (1480-1556)-- Self-scanned, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13911987
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