Blessed Assurance
by Malcolm Wood
During these days of COVID 19, the whole world has been thrown into confusion, panic, fear and uncertainty. Leaders, politicians, medics, and scientists are all struggling to find answers and develop plans, procedures, methods and medicine to combat this deadly virus and try to manage the devastating effects that it is having on millions of people and their communities across the world. It only remains to be seen what the consequences of all this will be in terms of the global economic fallout and future social interaction. So much uncertainty!
In days like this, we, as Christians, can take encouragement from verses like the one above and also from the fact that, by His Spirit, we have Jesus with us day by day. Before He went back to heaven He said, “… And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). What a promise and word of assurance from the Lord himself to help us through the darkest of times!
During times of confusion and uncertainty, it is always good to remind ourselves of Bible truths which are sure and certain and can help us re-adjust our spiritual compass and focus on things from a different perspective, God’s perspective. This doesn’t mean that the problems and difficulties will necessarily disappear, but it will enable us to see them differently. As the old chorus says, as we turn our eyes on Jesus, ‘the things of earth will grow strangely dim’.
We can find further encouragement from verses such as these: ‘Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me’ (Psalm 23:4).
‘May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant’ (Psalm 119:76).
‘I, even I am he who comforts you’ (Isaiah 51:12).
‘The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one’ (Psalm 28:8).
‘I will teach you and instruct you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you’ (Psalm 32:8).
‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world’ (John 16:33).
As we take these verses, and many more like them, to heart and appropriate them for ourselves, our relationship with Jesus will be enriched, our faith deepened and our assurance of and in Him strengthened. And with the hymn writer of old we’ll gladly sing: ‘Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine : O what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God; born of His Spirit washed in His blood.This is my story, this is my song, praising my Saviour all the day long.’
In the last verse, the blind, Fanny J Crosby, was able to write, ‘Watching and waiting looking above, filled with his goodness, lost in His love.’
We need now, as perhaps never, before to be keeping our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2), as we wait for His return.
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You that You do not change. You are the same yesterday, today and forever and we can trust You in times of trouble and uncertainty to be with us to comfort and strengthen us and help us meet the challenges of an uncertain future here on earth. Thank You for the assurance of Your return. Amen.
Malcolm Wood and his wife Anna became part of the Ellel family as House Managers at Ellel Grange in 1990. Since then they have been involved with many aspects of the developing Ministry. From 2001 until 2015 they were Directors of Ellel Scotland where they hosted several International Schools and Operation Blairmore and helped pioneer the exciting Creative Inspiration Weeks. They have three sons.
Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship. Provided full acknowledgement is made to Seeds of the Kingdom as the source, you are also welcome to use it in a non-commercial way and reproduce it in magazines or other Christian websites. The copyright for any commercial use of the material remains with Ellel Ministries International.
