Meditation

Read Hebrews 11:1-10                                        —Isaiah 26:4 (NIV)

Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.

I have recently been inspired and encouraged by the rock-solid faith displayed by two of my friends in very difficult circumstances. Muriel, who is in her 80s, lost her friend of 64 years to cancer. She wrote to tell me with absolute certainty that Betty had “gone to glory at 5 this morning.”

Susan’s 27-year-old daughter, Felicity, received treatment for breast cancer last year but now has been diagnosed with a liver tumor and needs more chemotherapy. Despite her heartache and grief, Susan told me unwaveringly that her daughter’s future was in God’s hands.

In Luke 6, Jesus tells the story of the wise man who built his house on a foundation of rock. Because of this firm foundation, the house was able to withstand any catastrophe that the weather could throw at it. Jesus commends people, like my friends Muriel and Susan, whose faith in God is unswerving no matter the circumstances. It is one thing to have faith when everything is going well; but when troubles assail us, we need the comforting strength of God’s presence with us to help us cope and survive.

What a blessing it is to have friends of strong faith whose powerful witness is an encouragement to all who know them!

Prayer—Dear God, deepen our faith so that we may learn to rely on your love and strength in every situation. Amen.

Thought for the Day—God is the only sure foundation for life.

Margaret Martin (Australian Capital Territory, Australia)