Day 3: Wisdom proved right
So [Jesus] replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor (Luke 7:22).
O Lord, the psalmist prayed, All my longings lie open before you, Lord; my sighing is not hidden from You (Psalm 38:9). You are our hope and our strength — the answer to all the questions we ask, and to the deeper perplexities and challenges that drive our uncertainties, doubts and fears.
For John, the harsh realities of Herod's prison — isolation, debilitation, trepidation — were enough to fuel doubt, disquiet, and uncertainty. And in the confusion, he questioned the validity of his own revelation, and second-guessed the clear affirmation he had received from God about the person and the identity of the Lord Jesus (Matthew 3:16-17).
Lord, we are not unfamiliar with John's struggle. But You meet us in our prisons of fear, doubt, and uncertainty, and You answer the questions behind our questions. You send Your powerful word to "flame our dungeons" and restore our perspective.
You gently urge us to call to mind... and therefore... have hope (Lamentations 3:21). You tenderly challenge us to confront the evidence of Your goodness, power, might, and majesty. You lovingly invite us to count the blessings You have poured into our lives. You patiently hold before us the record of Your grace, mercy, and transforming love. And You unceasingly reveal that wisdom is proved right by all her children (Luke 7:35).
Compassionate Savior, You do not dismiss the affliction and the wandering, the bitterness and the gall that life often brings (Lamentations 3:19). But You never leave us alone. We have the assurance of Your powerful word that Your compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23). And we entrust our lives to You with confident hope, Lord, You understand; remember me and care for me (Jeremiah 15:15).
"Fear not, I am with thee"
Blessed golden ray,
Like a star of glory,
Lighting up my way!
Through the clouds of midnight,
This bright promise shone,
"I will never leave thee,
Never will leave thee alone."
Refrain:
No, never alone,
No, never alone;
He promised never to leave me,
Never to leave me alone;
No, never alone,
No, never alone;
He promised never to leave me,
Never to leave me alone.
Roses fade around me,
Lilies bloom and die,
Earthly sunbeams vanish-
Radiant still the sky!
Jesus, Rose of Sharon,
Blooming for His own,
Jesus, heaven's sunshine,
Never will leave me alone.
Steps unseen before me,
Hidden dangers near;
Nearer still my Saviour,
Whispering, "Be of cheer";
Joys, like birds of springtime,
To my heart have flown,
Singing all so sweetly,
"He will not leave me alone."
~ Eliza E. Hewitt ~ pub. 1898
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