CHRISTIAN DEVOTIONAL

A SUSTAINING GOD

By Vicki Berchtold

Recently, I was reading the book "In the Presence of My Enemies" by Gracia Burnham. This is an amazing account of how American missionaries, Gracie and Martin Burnham, were kidnapped from their Philippine hotel room and were held captive for a year in the jungle. After many months of being held hostage, Gracie battled with questions regarding her faith. Specifically, how her loving God could allow her and her husband to be held hostage. She concludes and writes,

"Gradually, my crisis of faith passed. I realized it would do no good to

be angry with God. He had neither approved the Abu Sayyaf to abduct

us nor would he force them against their will to release us. Instead,

He would sustain us day by day, night by night, mile by mile for as

long as it took."

As Christians, we may not be abducted and held hostage, but we still face daily conflicts, problems, health issues, relationship problems and financial problems. I agree with Gracie's statement that God does not ordain our problems, but He sustains us through the problems and trials. One might ask how does God sustain or help us? The list could be endless, but a few ways God sustains and helps us are:

●He brings restoration to broken relationships.

●God gives us physical and emotional strength. (Philippians 4:13 and Isaiah 41:10)

●He offers forgiveness and cleansing of our sins. (I John 1:19 and Psalms 32:5)

●He supplies our needs: food, clothing and shelter. (Philippians 4:19 and II Peter 1:3-4)

●He sends encouragement and comfort. (Ephesians 3:20, II Thessalonians 2:16-17

and II Corinthians 1:3-5)

●He gives us wisdom and guidance. (James 1:5-8, Psalms 32:8 and Psalms 139)

●He brings healing and relieves our pain and suffering. (James 5:14-16,

II Corinthians 12:8-9, Psalms 41:1-3 and Psalms 103:2-3)

●He gives us the peace. (Psalms 4:8, Philippians 4:6-7 and John 14:27)

●He gives hope. (I Peter 5:7, II Corinthians 4:16-18 and Jeremiah 29:11-14)

●He gives us eternal life. (John 3:16, I Peter 1:3-4 and Romans 6:23)

●He relieves our fears. (Psalms 27:1, Psalms 23, Isaiah 41:10 and Psalms 14:27)

●Assurance of salvation. (Hebrews 13:5-6)

●God loves us. (I John 4:16 and John 3:16)

●God protects. (Psalms 23, Psalms 32:7, II Thessalonians 3:13, Psalms 34:7)

●He touches us so deep down in our spirits, that we cannot deny his existence.

(James 5:6-7 and Romans)

●He inhabits our praise and worship. (Psalms 27:10)

What a fantastic God we have and serve. Take time now to think about how God has helped you this week or this month. Step back from all your problems and thank God for His sustaining promises and worship His holy name. Then offer up your problems to God in prayer and then wait with expectation for his miraculous

answers.