When We Have Nothing We Have Him

Psalms 146:4-9 "Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them- the Lord, who remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow.
This reading gives us such insite into who Jesus is and what He does. It gives us insite into what He is interested in and WHO is interested in.
It speaks of who He is interested in (I don’t think this is a complete list, but it gives us a good picture of the heart of God): the oppressed, the hungry, prisoners, the blind, the bowed down, the alien (outcast), fatherless, and widow. Jesus was drawn to these kinds of people when He was on the earth. He looked for the people that didn’t have...the people that were missing something in their life...the people that others overlooked...the one that thought they had been forgotten. These were the ones Jesus noticed. He noticed them when no one else did.

It describes what Jesus does. It describes what ministry that comes from Jesus looks like. Awe...and it’s beautiful. It wasn’t enough that he found these types of people, he actually acted on the compassion He felt in His heart. This is what He does: he upholds, he gives food, he sets free, he gives sight, he lifts up, he watches over, and he sustains.
If you’re missing something in your life, can’t see your future, don’t understand your circumstances, feel alone, feel like an outcast, or feel like a prisoner then you are just the one that God longs to love. Often in these times we feel as though he has abandoned us. It’s in these times that He is with us the most. Think of what it must feel like to be a widow. You’ve lost the person you have loved the most. There must be a feeling of emptiness and loneliness in the heart of a widow. Yet, Jesus promises to sustain. He promises to watch over them. The fatherless and motherless of the earth...they hold such a place in the heart of the Father. Yet, the child must feel alone and abandoned. My point is, Jesus never promised we would have everything we wanted, or even need on this earth. Every kind of person that is listed is someone who is struggling in relationships or circumstances. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been in both situations several times. He did promise one thing though...

It says, He "remains faithful forever." To the widow He remains faithful. To the outcast He remains faithful. To the oppressed and prisoner He remains faithful. There are seasons where we can’t see it or feel it. Believe me, I know how difficult those seasons can be and I’m sure you do to. But, His promise is that He is faithful. It’s not about us feeling strong or feeling like we have control of our lives, or us knowing our future. It’s all about His strength and His love for us. His faithfulness and love does not change like shifting shadows. Think about shadows...they are always shifting because the sun is constantly in a different spot causing shadows to move. Yet, His faithfulness and love for us is unmovable. Circumstance or situations can never change His mind or heart. As long as we have a heart that turns towards Him, He promises His love and faithfulness. He doesn’t require us to be strong. He just requires a heart that turns toward Him in difficulty. In this particular scripture His promise is especially to those that are without, uncertain, confused, unloved, oppressed, the widow and the fatherless.

In every person there is a God given desire to be loved. As you know by now, more times than we want we may feel unloved and rejected. We were made for strong, healthy and loving relationships. Our hearts weren’t formed for rejection. It isn’t supposed to happen. Yet, it happens. Relationships change. And it sucks. And it hurts. Yet for every lonely person, for every disappointment and injustice, for every person that has been left behind by the one they thought loved them most, there is one that understands. There is one ready to love, comfort, uphold, sustain, and watch over. We don’t have to have it all together. We just have to have a heart that turns towards Him. For the weak person there is hope - He remains faithful forever. That’s really the only sure hope we have in the world.

I’m so glad He has loved me like this. There are times in my life that I have been around a ton of people, yet I feel so alone. There’s been times where I’ve wanted to give up...does anyone understand what I’m feeling? Not only that, but does anyone really care? There’s been times when I have not understood one bit what the Lord was doing in my life. There’s been times when I’ve been weighed down by lifes disappointments. It’s in these times the Lord has shown up. I’ve encountered Him as a friend, Father, and the love of my heart. But it has not been during "easy" seasons. It’s been in the middle of difficulty. He has proved His love to me and I write these words as someone who has been touched by the love of Jesus. Not because of my goodness, but because of my lack. I’m so serious when I say we don’t have to have it all together. I used to think we do. It’s through the process of bringing brokeness and humility in my life that the Lord has taught me about His love, tenderness, and faithfulness. I know when I see His face it’s not going to be all the great things I’ve done for Him that gets me into His Kingdom. It’s only going to be because of His goodness, kindness, and mercy He has poured out on me. He doesn’t treat us as we deserve, yet He delights in showing mercy and love to those that need it. He is the safe place we are longing for. We can rest in His embrace. Receive His love for you today...it’s a free gift! I’m SO thankful for Jesus! I would be such a mess without Him!