TGIF
Today ends another calendar year. I think most people are glad to see it go. I think the words unstable, unsettling, and world turned upside down might all be apt descriptors of our world this year. I am sure we are all tired of hearing the following topics and are ready for them to disappear from our vocabulary – COVID-19, inflation, border crisis, lockdown, delta variant, Ukraine, Mullen fired, chain supply issues, bail reform, omicron variant, Taiwan, gas prices, mask mandate, and food shortages………. to name a few!
However, in spite of all these issues, there was also good news in our lives. For one thing, Covenant was able to be open all year and worship together again. We had more people come back to church attendance once they were able to get a COVID vaccine early in 2021. We were able to restart a number of Covenant fellowship events (all around serving food !) under the leadership of our new Pastor Don Mauldin. We also had a big increase in giving this year which was quite unexpected, but which also helped Covenant generously support the devastating tornado tragedy that struck a number of states just before Christmas.
Cindy and I were also blessed to go visit family in PA twice this year after not having been there for two years due to COVID. What good news happened in your life in 2021? God continues to work with us, for us, and through us in His mysterious ways, and we need to reach out regularly to praise Him and thank Him for our many blessings.
The book of Psalms is “The Book of Praises” to God. Many of the Psalms deal with both the reality of living in a fallen world led by man and the heavenly opportunity we have for each of us to live joyfully and dependently on the promises offered to us through Jesus and The Word. So today we will focus on the scripture provided to us in the Psalms for our comfort in troubled times.
The almighty God is with us always as our constant Rock and Redeemer.
Psalm 78:35 – They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.
Psalm 18:2 – The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shieldand the hornof my salvation, my stronghold.
Psalm 19:14 – May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heartbe pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
We can count on always facing some trouble in our lives, yet we know we always have a place to turn for support and strength, a constant source of love and peace and hope in spite of our troubles.
Psalm 46:1-3 – God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give wayand the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
Psalm 4:1 – Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
Psalm 118:8 – It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.
Let us conclude with that most famous Psalm that we learned as children and still can proclaim today and always to calm us and bring us peace, joy, and hope.
Psalm 23 – The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
May 2022 by a most blessed and peaceful year for you and your family, and for Covenant Church, and may we all seek and pray for peace in our world!