I have been doing the First 5 devotion with a small group of ladies from my church called Prone to Wander which goes through the minor prophets. Today we looked at Amos 1, but it was the question the devotion finished with that got me to really thinking:

“Have you received some bad news lately? …How has your relationship with God helped you process the hurt and cope with that situation?”

I found the timing of this question ironic since we are living in the age of bad news. There’s a pandemic ravaging the people of the earth. More than twenty million people have suddenly found themselves unemployed just in our country alone. Just yesterday our own governor extended the business closure order to May 8 and the stay at home order stands at June 10. Yesterday the annual worship conference we’ve been attending for the last several years was canceled. And the realization that this change in our way of life will extend much longer than I originally thought set in. People are living in constant fear of both disease and economic ruin.

However, the Lord tells us “Do not fear!” Over 300 times. He constantly reminds us that he loves us and every part of our lives “consider the lilies of the field…” He reminds us not to worry because he has this.

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”  Matthew 6:31-33 (NLT).

How does my faith help me cope? By reminding me that God is sovereign over all things. By keeping me focused on God and that he knows what we need. By having the deep assurance that God is on our side. He is For Us and nothing can separate us from Him (Romans 8).

I am praying more than ever, but from a place of hope. And that is drawing me closer to him.

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I’ve been joking with my friends that every morning I end up with “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” running through my head because of the title of this study: “Prone to wander Lord I feel it; prone to leave the God I love…”

Today, however, I keep jumping from Amy Grant’s “Jehovah”

to Don Moen’s “God is On Our Side.”

Yes, I know they are both really old songs, but I am really old. Maybe one of these will encourage someone besides me.