--When All Seems Lost ~

-"My God, my God, why
have you forsaken me?"
--(Psalm 22:1)

--IN JUST six months, Gerald's life fell apart. An economic crisis destroyed his business and wealth, while a tragic accident took his son's life. Overcome by shock, his mother had a heart attack and died, his wife went into depression, and his two young daughters remained inconsolable. All he could do was echo the words of the Psalmist, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"-(Psalm 22:1).

The only thing that kept Gerald going was the hope that God, who raised Jesus to life would one day deliver him and his family from their pain to an eternal life of joy. It was a hope that God would answer his desperate cries for help. In his despair, like the Psalmist David, he determined to trust in the midst of his suffering. He held on to the hope that God would deliver and save him (vv.4-5).

That hope sustained Gerald. Over the years, whenever he was asked how he was, he could say, "Well, I'm trusting God."

God honored that trust, giving Gerald the comfort, strength, and courage to keep going through the years. His family slowly recovered from the crisis, and soon Gerald welcomed the birth of his first grandchild. His cry is now a testimony of God's faithfulness. "I'm no longer asking, 'Why have you forsaken me?' God has blessed me."

When it seems there's nothing left, there's still hope. Jesus is our Blessed Hope. Jesus said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you. You are Mine. I have your name inscribed on the palm of My nail-pierced hand."

--"WHEN I FEEL ABANDONED, I CLING TO THE HOPE YOU'VE GIVEN ME THROUGH CHRIST'S RESURRECTION, THAT I WILL BE DELIVERED TO ETERNAL JOY ONE DAY. LORD JESUS, YOU GAVE EVERYTHING FOR ME. HELP ME TO DENY MYSELF, TAKE UP MY CROSS AND FOLLOW YOU. IN CHRIST ALONE"~~
--ODB/LK~--"What If I Gave Everything"/ --Casting Crowns~ [click on link]<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP27ySgbYLU>
---------

--LOVE WON'T STOP~~

-"Rejoice with me;
I have found my
lost sheep."
--(Luke 15:6)--

--AFTER I turned nineteen, and years before I owned a pager or a cell phone, I moved more than seven hundred miles away from my Mom. One morning, I left early to run errands, forgetting our scheduled call. Later that night, two policemen came to my door. Mom had been worried because I'd never missed one of our chats. After calling repeatedly and getting a busy signal, she reached out to the authorities and insisted they check on me. One of the police officers turned to me and said, "It's a blessing to know love won't stop looking for you."

When I picked up the phone to call my Mom, I realized I had accidentally left the receiver off its base. After I apologized, she said she needed to spread the good news to the family and friends she had informed that I'd been missing. I hung up thinking she'd overacted a bit, though it felt good to be loved that much.

Scripture paints a beautiful picture of God, who is Love, relentlessly beckoning His wandering children. Like a good shepherd, He cares about and seeks out every lost sheep, affirming the priceless value of every beloved child of God.

Love never stops looking for us. He will pursue us until we've returned to Him. We can pray for others who need to know that Love--God--never stops looking for them either.~~

--"Lord, thank You for pursuing us with persistence and providing a safe place when we return to Your loving arms. Help me, Lord Jesus to never be ashamed of You, and to tell others about Your great love for them. I praise and bless you my Lord, Savior, and Redeemer.~ amen" --"Love Moved First"/ Casting Crowns~ <https://youtu.be/qDdTt7AB0gI>

----HOW LONG? / THROUGH IT ALL,..."IT IS WELL"~~

--How long, LORD, must I call for help?
--(Habakkuk 1:2)

--WHEN I GOT married, I thought I would have children immediately. That did not happen, and the pain of infertility caused me to cry out to God. "How long, Lord?" I knew God could change my circumstance. Why didn't He?

Are you waiting on God? Are you asking, 'How long, Lord, before justice prevails in our world? Before there's a cure for cancer? before I'm no long in debt? "Oh Lord, Can you hear me calling?"

The prophet Habakkuk knew that feeling. In the seventh century BC, he cried out: "How long, LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen?" Or cry out to you, 'Violence!" but you do not save?...Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?" (1:2-3). He prayed, yet he struggled to reconcile how a just and powerful God could allow wickedness to continue in Judah. Why was God doing nothing?

There are days when we too feel as if God is doing nothing. Like Habakkuk, we ask God, "How long?"

We must continue to cast our burdens on the Lord because He cares for us. God hears us and will, in His time, give an answer. We must keep trusting in our Lord, Jehovah Yahweh, YHWH. ~~

--"Oh Lord God. We know you hear us when we cry out to You. Please hear and answer our prayers. We trust in you. 'Not our will, but Thy will be done.' "It Is Well"/ Kristene DiMarco --<https://youtu.be/0VUzQrtRqDQ>
-----------

--Blessings~ (-Song by: Laura Story)

It's easy to grow downhearted
When nothing goes your way,

It's easy to be discouraged
When you have a troublesome day,

But trouble is only a challenge....
To spur you on to achieve..

The best that G-D has to offer,
If you have faith to believe! --

-(Helen Steiner Rice) --"Blessings" / Laura Story ~ <https://youtu.be/Cd6J6Wgnv4M>
~~~~~~~~~~~