02/13/2024
I have twin sisters and several years ago one of them was diagnosed with an ovarian tumor. The doctors were uncertain as to whether it was cancer or not, so we prayed, and the surgeon removed a benign growth. That happened quite a long time ago. But later they found another tumor and after testing it her OBGYN told her it too looked benign but would need to be removed and tested. However, after having sighed a sigh of relief she received a subsequent call from her Oncologist who believed it might be cancer. Of course we prayed he was wrong. In times such as these we need to renew our faith through scripture and prayer. If you are being pursued by the dark one today, you will love the encouraging verse we will be beginning with.
“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 KJV
The key to this passage is the word "walk". Walking… we are on a pilgrimage through life and although that sounds romantic, it is a journey fraught with many trials and much hardship and suffering, yet it leads us towards safety, and eternity in the peaceful and loving presence of God. Scriptures echo this in verses like we find in Psalm 23:
“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.”
Psalm 23:4 KJV
Here we see the word walk again. We walk for a couple of reasons; the first is because the journey is long and exhausting, and we can't run that far so we walk and pace ourselves. The second reason we walk is because we have faith and trust in Jesus, and in this there is no need to run. Jesus is walking before us, and in His calming presence, and God's promise, we find the peace of Christ during our journey... We are not afraid, and there should be nothing that can frighten us into a run. Isn't that the very next part of this verse? "Thy rod and that staff they comfort me"???
So we are walking in the face of life's trials. We are not panicked into a run out of doubt and fear, because our God is sufficient for us, and our faith in Him will sustain us along the way. So now that we understand the way we travel, let’s look at why we are traveling. Listen to Jesus when He says:
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6 KJV
Jesus is the way, our way... He is the road we follow, the path through the desert, the trail that leads us over tall mountains, and through the narrow gate. In Him there is comfort and peace even in the face of all the trials and great tribulations that we will experience, but why are we traveling in the first place? We are traveling to find God, and to come into His glorious presence.
In all of this we might find ourselves asking a couple of questions that are common to pilgrims everywhere, “Why is my path is so hard Father?”, and “Can’t you simply remove me from this suffering?” Well, do you remember when Jesus told Peter that Satan wanted to sift Him? Didn’t you find it interesting that Jesus didn't ask God to keep that from happening? If you recall His actual prayer for Peter was rather surprising; listen…
“And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”
Luke 22:31-32 KJV
Jesus didn’t pray that Peter be spared Satan’s sifting, but for his strength to hold firm, and that he be converted so that he could strengthen others. Friends, I pray for you in the same manner... I pray that your faith be strengthened and not fail regardless of your trials, and that through you others will be encouraged as well. May God bless you and keep you along the way that lies ahead. May your faith be sufficient for the journey, and your hand forever be in God’s hand, because you are His child, His friend, and His love for all eternity.
Prayer:
Father. Thank you for walking with us through every hard time, and passed all the dangerous places we find ourselves traveling through. Walk so close with us Lord that we will need to take off our shoes because the ground beneath our feet will have become Holy. Let the holy dust from your steps settle over our toes and ankles, and serve to glorify you when Jesus washes them at the end of each hard day’s walk, and prepares us in our faith for the night, the morrow, and all that lies ahead. Merciful are you Father when you feel our pain, hear our prayers, and your comforting touch faithfully heals every day’s blisters, and closes the cuts we have sustained from the briars and the rocks along the way.
Rich Forbes