A God of Hope and Mercy

Assuring Hope
Comfort for Gods People
Psalm 71:1-6 (The Message)
    I run for dear life to God, I'll never live to regret it.
   Do what you do so well:
      get me out of this mess and up on my feet.
   Put your ear to the ground and listen,
      give me space for salvation.
   Be a guest room where I can retreat;
      you said your door was always open!
   You're my salvation—my vast, granite fortress.

 ^4-7 My God, free me from the grip of Wicked,
      from the clutch of Bad and Bully.
   You keep me going when times are tough—
      my bedrock, God, since my childhood.
   I've hung on you from the day of my birth,
      the day you took me from the cradle;
      I'll never run out of praise.
   Many gasp in alarm when they see me,

For Reflection
Do you remember High School?
Last weekend my wife and I had a weekend visit from one of our high school friends.  We have reminisced before, so we didn't spend much time remembering the past, but just having her and her husband with us for an ex trended period sparked my recollections of those high school days.  We were never part of the "popular" crowd. and spent most of our time doing our own thing -- she in her father's '57 Chevy and I in my aunt's '56 Olds Starfire.  I remember those days of pressure to confirm to the teen culture. I am eternally grateful to the God of love who provided a church based sanctuary where we could be accepted as we were.  God freed us from the grip of the teen cultural bully.  As the song goes, He was there to hear our birthing cries and He'll be there when we go on -- and at our side through all of our journeys in the past and yet to come.

Pray
Thank God for the protection He has provided you.  Pray that you remember His steadfast love and encouragement.  Realize that your life is no accident, but rather a testament to the Living God.