Postcards from God

Good morning! I hope your weekend was restful and that you have hit the ground running this morning.

This past week was a difficult week for me spiritually, mentally and physically. As I arrived home from India a week and a half ago my family was getting over head colds. So as I finished off the jet lag I found myself coming down with the same head cold. Unfortunately for me I have asthma so most colds don’t stay in my head long, but instead go straight for my chest and this one has been no different. Emotionally I was simply drained by the pressures of my current transition in ministry and the uncertainties of my professional future. Spiritually I had hit a low point and wondered if I was truly strong enough to see things through.

I’m sure you’ve had times like this as well. Times like these are often lonely times for me when my normal avenues of strength and encouragement just aren’t available to me.

It is precisely at these times that God shows some of His greatest care for us. For me this past week it was a passage of scripture that I want to share with you this morning:

“I am the Lord your God, who holds your right hand, and I tell you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I will help you.’

Isaiah 41:13 (NCV)

A friend of mine calls these “postcards from God,” those times when God reminds you of His closeness during your times of pain, fear and uncertainty. This verse was special to me, because it reminded me of my own children.

There are times when we go to busy, bustling places or places that are unfamiliar to my children. When we make such journeys my youngest daughter and son (the 16 year old is a little past this now) generally will take my wife or I by the hand to guide them through. The grasp of our hand is a reassuring sign of safety for these young children. They may not know where we are going, but they have confidence that when they are hand in hand with us no harm will come to them.

As I looked at my own situation this past week, I found myself speaking to my Heavenly Father. I admitted that I was a little scared and uncertain, but I extended my right hand with confidence, knowing that God, being faithful to His word would hold on tightly. In the following days after I received this “postcard from God,” I began to see my situation in a different light. Answers that had not been apparent in the beginning were now clearly visible. Walking hand in hand with my Heavenly Father, I now had confidence that I would make it through these current hardships safely.

If you are going through a time of great difficulty I hope you find comfort in the postcard that I received. Reach out your hand, because the hand of God is reaching for you.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be upon you this week.

Carl