I heard a message the other day that spoke of being strong and staying with the task at hand. With all that we may encounter, how do we remain strong?

Our ancestors left us with a legacy of answers to that question. They left us with a firm foundation of prayer to our Sovereign God. They left us with a spirit of brotherly and sisterly love. They left us with a spirit of family as well as community. They left us with a spirit of determination, even as they withstood the brutality of slavery and other injustices.

So when we look back and we see how the Lord sustained them, surely we can answer the question. Let this week be the week we come together to reaffirm the Word as it is written in Isaiah 40: 31 “…that those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.”

We will reaffirm our trust in the Lord and lean not to our own understanding. We will reaffirm to be strong and of good courage “for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Let’s start the new year encouraging one another to be strong and courageous, for God is with us always.

The Rev. Glencie Rhedrick

***
Oh, Lord, our Heavenly Father,

Here we are again, Lord, seeking a Word from You. We come with a willing spirit to be more open to Your will and Your way. We come with an eagerness to rely more on You and less on ourselves. We come with our hearts, minds and souls set to follow the path You created for us.

We come with a forgiving heart, asking You to forgive us for not trusting You more. We ask that You forgive us for not studying the Word more. We ask that You forgive us for not remembering how You took care of all who called You Lord and Savior. We ask that You forgive us for not remembering how You sustained our ancestors during the evilness of slavery.

We come thanking You, God, because You see beyond our faults, our lacks, our weariness, our bitterness, our weaknesses and our lack of courage. It is only because of Your tender mercies and grace that we are able to become witnesses of how Your love and power empowers us to stand in the midst of all that the world may throw our way.

We thank You because You left us with many scriptures to show us how we can remain encouraged and strong. Thank You for Rahab, who showed us how to trust Your Word. Thank You for the widow who made the meal cake for the prophet! Thank You for the widow who filled her jars with oil and sold them to take care of her family. Thank You for the lad whose five loaves of bread and two fish fed the multitude. Thank You for how You respond to all of our needs. Thank You for giving us the greatest witness to Your love for us by giving us Your Son, Jesus the Christ, our Savior! Jesus, our Lord of Lords. Amen Amen and Amen.

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