Psalm 37: 23-24
The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.
II Corinthians 4: 8-9
We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
God loves what He created, and He made us to live with Him where He is. So He sent His own Son to take our place in the death we all deserve because of sin, so that He could redeem us from ourselves and save us from that sinfulness that constantly pursues us.
So in this world we will experience sorrow, and all the other things enumerated in these verses, but our Father will never abandon us, not allow us to fall, be crushed, or be destroyed, holding us in His loving, powerful, shielding hand.
All these things He does allow, though, in order to teach us how to be like Him, and to grow our characters into godly people.
He does all this because He loves us so much, more than we can fathom.
O my Father, You truly are the Great God of the Universe! You made it all and You hold all of everything in Your hand, the whole huge Universe. You are also infinitely small, so that You direct the very atoms and molecules of life, and the smallest, most insignificant details, using them all to further Your great Plan to fulfill all Your purposes.
You hold me in Your hand and direct the circumstances of my life to mold and shape my character into the image of Your dear Son, my Lord, and the accomplishment of Your purposes for my life, that will bring all the credit, all the glory and honor to You Who alone deserves all the glory. And it also turns out to be the very best for me and for those I love.
O Father, You are so wise, so smart, and so loving and powerful to work all things, from the minute to the grandiose, all in perfect harmony, to accomplish all You desire to the very end.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
