“Your Lord will never leave you or forsake you. He will strengthen your arms and help you stand on your own two feet. He will purify you that you will be as gold – valuable, precious and beautiful.”
Hebrews 13:5(b)
… for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
If, like me, though you’ve been a Christian for some time, why does it sometimes seem God is far away? Have you ever felt like God has deserted you; like he doesn’t hear your cries anymore?
Job had the world at his fingertips. He was very wealthy with a magnificent home, large family and great herds of cattle and camels and flocks of sheep. He was man of integrity and faultless in his walk with God. Yet, it pleased the Lord to allow Satan to strip Job of all his worldly possessions and cause his family to perish. Job endured such pain and difficulty that would cause you and me to crumble.
Finally, when Job’s own life was at stake and he had lost everything, though without blaming God, he wonders if God had deserted him. He says, “Behold, I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I do not perceive him; on the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him; he turns to the right hand, but I do not see him.” Then, contemplatively he adds, “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.”
Charles Spurgeon said, “As sure as God puts his children in the furnace, he will be in the furnace with them.” Gold is refined by intense heat. It enters the furnace impure but comes out purified. If you feel you’re in a furnace today, be encouraged, your Lord is purifying you. It may feel as if God has deserted you but his word promises, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” In Job’s words, “But he is unchangeable. What he desires, that he does. For he will complete what he appoints for me. Yet I am not silenced because of the darkness.”
Your Lord will never leave you or forsake you. He will come through for you, you can be sure of that. As a result of your trial, God will strengthen your arms and help you stand on your own two feet. He will purify you that you will be as gold – valuable, precious and beautiful.
Hold on, God is with you.
God-tracking is coming out of the furnace pure as gold
READ ALL ABOUT IT
Job 23
Daniel 3
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PRAY
Strengthen my arms and help me to stand on my own two feet
“Dear God, I know you are with me, always. Your Word has promised that you will never, never forsake or abandon me. Yet, it seems there are times that I just can’t feel your presence. There are times when I cry out for you to heal, deliver or provide and I see no results. O Lord, you are always righteous and true. I never doubt you hear my cry. It feels like I’m in a furnace being refined as gold. I know I will come out of this more valuable, precious and beautiful. So, I will not give up. I will look up and continue to pray in faith. I believe you are in this furnace with me. Strengthen my arms and help me to stand on my own two feet. To your glory. Amen.”
If you prayed that prayer today, please email me – dudley@godtracker.co.uk
