Day 118
Judges 8:18‐9:21; Luke 23:44‐24:12; Psalm 99:1‐9; Proverbs 14:9‐10
God Answers Prayers
In Psalm 99: 8, we are reminded that our God hears us and does answer prayers with forgiveness. However, we do experience the consequences of our actions along with His forgiveness.
As I read Luke 23 and 24, I am again reminded that Jesus took on the consequences of your and my sins. In His death on the cross, He suffered physically a torture we can’t even imagine. He also suffered the betrayal and the desertion of His friends. He suffered the ultimate loss, separation from His father, while the women watched. There are days when we suffer the death of a loved one, the betrayal of a trusted friend, or some painful physical and/or emotional setback.
There are those who come to be with us, like the women at the cross, but are powerless to stop the suffering, and there are times when may feel abandoned by God or wonder where God is in all of this. There are no easy answers. One of the lessons I’ve learned over many years is that God is with me in the midst of it. He is present as a mother or father is with a suffering child as we pass through this valley. Jesus knows our grief and the eternal joy that He will bring to us. Amen
Rev. Patricia Acker