"The Lord Stood With Me"

What a comfort to know that when people fail, God will not. When people forsake, God does not. Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:16-17 "At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me. . .Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me. . .". Demas had forsaken Paul. Alexander had done some kind of harmful and hurtful work. On top of that, others disappointed Paul when he stood to give an answer for the faith. Sometimes similar things happen in our own lives. While we are standing for the Lord, we do not receive the support from the people we had counted on to "be there", or who had promised to stick by us.

The good news we must remember is that the Lord stands with us. He gives strength when we are weak. He gives help in the tests and trials as well as a way of escape in the temptations. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble," Psalm 46:1 says. He stands with us to strengthen us. What is your area of weakness? Isaiah 25:4 says, "For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat. . ." When we are weak, we can be strong because He stands with us.

I just got back from a hospital visit. A young man, named Justin (22) has cancer of a very malignant type. Pray for him. He was getting a chemo port put in this morning. I was encouraged though because on the door of his room was this verse, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Justin will find, as he trusts in the Lord, that God will stand by him during this trial. It made all of my present trial seem very small to tell you the truth. So, instead of griping about the problems and other people, let's rejoice in the fact that when people fail, the Lord Himself stands with those who stand for Him. He stnad ready to help those who stand in need. He gives us strength when we are weak. His supply will not fail and His faithfulness is new every morning. Rejoice!