“Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.” Psalm 146:1-5
The attached photo brings me a peaceful feeling. You have heard me tell of spending time visiting schools and congregations in rural Haiti and spending the night there with them on occasion at times; well this is a snapshot of rural Haiti at its best. This is actually a little crowded as I counted eight homes in this photo. No electricity, sewer, water or paved highway. Each little house has two doors; one for sleeping room and one for dining, sitting and family area. You could possibly park your car into the space of one of those houses and a family of four to six probably lives there comfortably. What could they possibly need? A Savior, Hope and education for their children. Our needs are different, aren’t they? Each of us living on this side of Heaven need those first two; a Savior and Hope. May you and your family and friends find them and share them this Advent. I am closing today with the words from the hymn ‘It is well with my soul’ that were written by Horatio Spafford, composed by Philip Bliss and first published in 1876.
“When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, let this blest assurance control, that Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, and hath shed His own blood for my soul. My sin; oh, the bliss of this glorious thought! My sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul! For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live: if Jordan above me shall roll, no pang shall be mine, for in death as in life Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul. But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait, the sky, not the grave, is our goal; oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord! Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul! And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight, the clouds be rolled back as a scroll; the trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, even so, it is well with my soul.”
Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you…Jay