It is hard to imagine what it was like living as slaves in Egypt for hundreds of years without any sign of God’s presence. Being forced to live in a strange land among false gods took its toll on many Hebrew families. The long and difficult trek through the wilderness was necessary for God to again form a relationship with his people. And so he tested them along the way with difficult hardships like lack of food and water. In Deuteronomy 8:2 Moses asks the Israelites to, “Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart.” God still tests his people today. Whether it is in small things like daily irritations or through severe difficulty, his purpose is always to drive us closer to himself for needed rest and strength. Then we can rejoice with the psalm writer, “You, God, tested us; you refined us like silver” (Psalm 66:10).
A word of wisdom for a sticky note:
“Satan tempts us to get the worst out of us. God tests us to get the best out of us!”
Today my prayer includes . . .
thanks for this special blessing:
concern for this special person:
petition for this special problem:
A closing verse:
No matter what may be the test,
God will take care of you;
Lean, weary one, upon His breast,
God will take care of you.
Civilla D. Martin
from Hope for Each New Day by Reynold R. Kremer