Adventist Review Online | “God will take care of each of us.”

May 1, 2020

Ted N.C. Wilson reminds members that God hears those who seek Him

By: Ted N.C. Wilson

m glad to make contact this week with you, with you, our wonderful church members around the world. God has protected and cared for His church, and by God’s grace, you have been protected this week. Be of good courage in the Lord. We will get through this and you’ll have opportunities in Total Member Involvement to interact with people, using your mask and appropriate social distancing.

Maybe there’s a church member, an elderly person who can’t get food. Maybe you can help them. Maybe there’s someone who needs a mask and you know where to get one and you can try and help them. Maybe there are those who have some specific need and somehow you can encourage them. You can at least call them on the phone and give them a word of encouragement.

We will get through this by God’s grace, and while you’re doing that, you are going to be helping to proclaim the Three Angels’ Messages when you point people to the precious Word of God, to Revelation 14, helping people understand that Jesus is coming soon. Even though we’re going to be facing economic challenges in the very near future, and even now, unemployment and challenges, God will take care of each of us.

I want to share with you a beautiful Psalm, in Psalm 34, a portion of that Psalm, beginning with verse four. This is something that can be heartfelt from each of us. What an opportunity to ask the Lord for guidance as we face the future and the great opportunities of being able to share His precious word and the news that Jesus is coming soon.

Look at Psalm 34:4: “I sought the Lord, and He heard me.” You can believe that God will hear you. Always, He will hear you. Sometimes He doesn’t respond in the way that you or I think He ought to, immediately. He hears you and He will respond in an appropriate way. The Psalmist goes on to say, “and delivered me from all my fears.” And so, the fears that you may have in facing the future, the fears of your neighbors and friends, God can use you to help them be grounded in the One who can take away that fear—Jesus Christ Himself.

“They looked to Him”—that’s God the Lord—”and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed.”

You’d be surprised—when the Holy Spirit fills your heart, your life, you will actually look radiant. “This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.” All the challenges and troubles we face, all the calamities, the problems, if we put our hands in the hands of the Lord, He will take us through.

And then that beautiful verse, verse seven, which we’ll end with. A beautiful verse, which maybe some of you have memorized from childhood—”The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him,”—or have great respect and love for Him—”and delivers them.” What an opportunity to be part of God’s last day movement as He protects, cares, and delivers us.

Just a beautiful thought from Christian Service (p. 110), this beautiful compilation of Ellen White’s writings. Actually, originally, it’s from Patriarchs and Prophets, page 290. It’s also quoted from Gospel Workers, page 262. Listen to these beautiful words before we pray.

“Often the Christian life is beset with dangers, and duty seems hard to perform. The imagination pictures impending ruin before, and bondage and death behind. Yet the voice of God speaks clearly, Go forward. Let us obey the command, even though our sight cannot penetrate the darkness. The obstacles that hinder our progress will never disappear before a halting, doubting spirit. Those who defer obedience till every uncertainty disappears, and there remains no risk of failure or defeat, will never obey. Faith looks beyond the difficulties, and lays hold of the unseen, even Omnipotence, therefore it cannot be baffled.” And this last beautiful sentence, “Faith is the clasping of the hand of Christ in every emergency.”

May you clasp the hand of Christ today as you share with others the wonderful opportunity of being part of God’s last day message, sharing it to the world through the Holy Spirit’s power.

Let’s pray. Father in heaven, please help us as we place our hand in Your hand, as we clasp Your hand by faith and understand that You will deliver us, You will be our strength, You will be our refuge. Thank you for hearing us and bless your church worldwide as it reaches out to others during this pandemic and beyond. Thank you for the promise of Your soon coming. In Jesus’ name, Amen.