Tag: Hope

Christianity

Going home another way

Posted on by David L'Herroux

After all we have been through in 2020, I think it is impossible to still be the same! I don’t know about you, but I want to take as much as I can from all that happened last year and allow God to use it for good.

Just before Christmas, I was reading Matthew 2:11, which tells the story of the birth of Jesus. We are told that the wise men ‘departed into their own country another way’. In other words, their plans changed and they went home a different route to the one they had planned.

The wise men travelled miles to see Jesus the King of the Jews, and when they found Him, they responded with joy, sincere worship, and abundant gifts. To be honest, it was quite different from the way many people approach God today! Many people tend to expect God to come looking for them, prove Himself to them, and give them gifts. However, we are told that after the wise men found Jesus and worshipped Him, they went home another way. What does that mean to us today?

1.  When you encounter Jesus in your life, you can never be the same again

Having an encounter with Jesus means our life has to take a different direction, and just as the wise men (after being in the presence of the Living God) were changed, so must we be changed too. After the unprecedented experience of the last twelve months, I do not believe that we can move into 2021 the same way that we entered 2020.

As I look through God’s Word, I am amazed to read story after story of people who experienced an encounter with the Almighty God and could not ‘return home’ the same way. Their lives were turned upside down and their direction changed.

Let’s look at a few examples of people ‘going home another way’.

Mark 5:1-20 — The demon possessed man

No man could bind or tame him; he had a legion of demons and was running wildly in a totally possessed state. And then after meeting Jesus, he was totally set free, clothed and in his right mind to the point that he begged Jesus to be able to travel with him. Jesus said: ‘Go home to your friends and tell them the great things the Lord’s done.’

Let me tell you: he definitely went home ‘another way’ – joyful, dancing, praising God, and telling many what Jesus had done for him.

John 8:3-11 -The woman caught in the act of adultery

By law she shouldn’t have gone home at all (never mind another way). She should have been stoned to death. But as she encountered Jesus, He said to her: ‘Go and sin no more.’ And she went home another way!

Luke 19:1-10 – Zacchaeus  

Jesus stood still, lifted his eyes, and called Zacchaeus down from the tree: ‘Zacchaeus, quickly come down; for this very day I must stay in your house.’ Jesus knew the mess that Zacchaeus‘ house was in! And Scripture tells us that ‘Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord, “behold Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.”‘ Jesus said: ‘This day salvation comes to this house.’ He went home not only by another way but with Jesus. How awesome is that!

All those who met with Jesus, all went home different than they came: the woman with the issue of blood, Blind Bartimaeus, the man at the gate called ‘Beautiful’, the crowds on the day of Pentecost. I tell you that even those in the upper room – they all went home different than the way they came: full of the Holy Ghost and totally transformed.

I believe we will discover in this new year that many are entering 2021 totally transformed because of what they have experienced in 2020. But at the same time, we also have to be aware of the enemy’s strategy to ‘steal, kill and destroy’ if we do not take heed of God’s instructions.

Matthew 2 tells us: ‘So the wise men decided not to go back to Herod as he’d commanded them, but to go home by another way…’ Herod’s intention was to find Jesus – he certainly didn’t plan to worship Jesus as king but rather to kill him and destroy all what he stood for. In this there are warnings for all of us:

1. Not everyone is going to embrace your visions and dreams, hence it is wise sometimes to keep them to yourself to prevent the enemy from killing what God has given you.

2. Remember that the enemy hates your experience of transformation and will tempt you in every way for you to return home ‘the same way’ and deny what God has done for you.

3. Be sensitive to the voice of the Divine Shepherd, for His instruction is for your good: to protect you from the wiles of the enemy.

Don’t ever forget that just as God dealt with Herod – who set out to destroy Jesus and everything that He stood for over 2 thousand years ago – God dealt with Satan, who then too tried to kill him. Praise God that Jesus arose on the third day triumphant and glorious that you and I might be victorious too!

And because of this victory and this transformation experience, we can enter this New Year full of joy, full of worship, ready to fulfil the assignment that we have been given for His glory. Therefore today make sure that ‘YOU GO HOME ANOTHER WAY!’

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Christianity

Discover the many names of God

Posted on by David L'Herroux

Recently, I have been sharing with the UCB team some of my own discoveries about the names of God. I have often said: ‘If you want to know who God is, look at His names’. Throughout the Bible, God is given many names, and each of them reveal a precious truth about his qualities and character. I find it very encouraging to read these names as they help me to understand more and more about God’s ‘character’ and what He feels about us, His creation.

Jehovah-raah – The Lord is my shepherd (Psalm 23)

In Psalm 23, David describes the Lord as ‘my shepherd’. I love the way David personalised it by saying not the Lord is THE Shepherd but MY Shepherd. Praise God that He is our Shepherd too, for God is a relational God. This picture of ‘The Lord Our Shepherd’ reveals some of His characteristics: He is good, He protects, He guides, He nurtures, He lays down his life. And in times of confusion or grief, let’s never, ever forget that He is OUR SHEPHERD too.

Jehovah Jireh – The Lord will provide (Genesis 22:14 and Philippians 4:19)

In Philippians 4:19, it says ‘My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’   We are reminded that Jehovah-Jireh knows our every need because He sees everything, including what you need. If the Lord was able to meet Abraham’s need by providing a ram caught in the thicket that was offered in place of Isaac, He’s also able to meet our needs at just the right time. Fear not, the name Jehovah-Jireh guarantees that your Heavenly Father is able to provide any need you have.

Jehovah Shalom – The Lord our peace (Judges 6:24)

The Hebrew word ‘shalom’, translated as ‘peace’, not only speaks of the absence of noise, strife or conflict – it speaks of wholeness, completeness, trustworthiness, and happiness. True and ultimate peace is found in God alone, and this comes to us when we focus our lives on God and put our trust in Him. His Word says ‘Are you weary and troubled? Well why not place your total trust in Jehovah-Shalom, and He will keep you in perfect peace’ (Isaiah 26:3).

Jehovah Rapha – The Lord who heals (Psalm 23 and Exodus 15)

It was in the wilderness wanderings of the Israelites that God first revealed His name as Jehovah-Rapha. After crossing the Red Sea, Moses led them into the Wilderness of Shur, where they went 3 days without water. Eventually, they came across the waters of Marah, but they could not drink from the waters, for they were bitter. So the people complained against Moses, and Moses then cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree, which he cast into the waters. In a moment, the waters were made sweet. The Lord does not only heal waters, He heals people too. If the Lord was able to heal the waters at Marah so that His people could drink, He is also able to heal us from any disease (Psalm 103:3). When we’re weak, Jehovah-Rapha will renew our strength the same way He did for David (Psalm 23:3 NLT).

Living in a stressful and chaotic world in these unprecedented times, the name Jehovah-Rapha speaks to us that our bitter experiences can be transformed into sweet ones, and yes, we are confronted with new problems every day that make us sometimes want to give up and give in. But we can count upon the Lord to heal and renew our strength. Jehovah is the Great Physician who not only heals our physical and emotional needs, but He also heals and restores whatever spiritual needs we may have.

Stand upon God’s promise today! His Word declares that ‘The Lord is Your Keeper/ Your Provider/ Your Peace/ Your Healer.’ Don’t ever allow the enemy to tell you otherwise.

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Christianity

How to walk in hope…

Posted on by David L'Herroux

For the past few days, I have been reading Mark 5 and looking again at the story of Jairus and how Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead.

Jairus was one of the rulers of the synagogues, and he was also a loving father whose daughter was critically sick to the point of dying. When Jesus saw the situation, his first words were ‘Do not be afraid; only believe.’ And those simple words brought Jairus reassurance in his total despair. Instead of giving up and walking away in total hopelessness, Jairus did the unthinkable. He continued walking in HOPE, despite the seriousness of the situation. Is there a way we can capture this sense of hope too in the middle of the situation our world is facing?

Here are some steps that I believe Jairus took which helped him to experience his breakthrough:

1) Realisation – Jairus realised the gravity of his situation and he intentionally did something about it. The situation was desperate. His little daughter was not only very sick, but she was clearly dying. For me in this Covid-19 crisis, it’s important that we realise the seriousness of the situation and comply with all what we are asked to do. But it is also important that we take our fears and worries to Jesus too.

2) Desperation – Jairus became desperate. I’m sure that after having tried everything humanly possible, he sought Jesus. I think I can understand his pain and frustration, for every day as I watch reports from the media, there is only one word which jumps out at me: desperation. Today, can I encourage you that if you feel desperate, cry out to Jesus.

3) Attention – Jairus’ desperation caused him to focus his attention on Jesus. In the busyness of life, it can be easy to lose our focus, but there is nothing quite like a crisis to remind us that we cannot do this alone and that we need God’s help in everything we do. If you feel today that you have lost your attention and focus on Jesus, you can turn to him now. He is the only one who can provide whatever you need in these difficult times.

4) Position – When Jairus found Jesus, he ‘fell at Jesus’ feet’,  which was a sign of acknowledging a higher authority as well as being willing to humble himself. In whatever you are facing, I urge you to approach Jesus and change your position as Jairus did, demonstrating humility and acknowledgement of His authority. Let’s also not forget that as Christians, He has given us the same authority to deal with any situation we face.  

5) Compassion – I love the way that Jairus, in his actions and his prayer, demonstrates his compassion. You might be wondering ‘What is the real definition of compassion?’ My own definition is ‘having the awareness of the needs of others, which prompts a compelling desire to meet their needs.’ How great it is to see compassion being displayed across the UK, with hundreds of thousands of people volunteering to help the NHS, their neighbours, strangers they have never met before. These people had compassion stirred up within them, and now they are going out to help meet the needs of the most vulnerable in our society.

6) Intercession – Jairus did not approach Jesus for himself but went to stand in the gap on behalf of his much-loved daughter. I am so impressed by the many prayer initiatives emerging throughout the UK and around the world at the moment. Let’s continue to stand on behalf of the many who cannot pray for themselves throughout this time and boldly believe for healing. Jesus is still the same as He was yesterday, today, and forever.

I hope these few thoughts from my own study encourage you as much as they are encouraging me.

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Christianity

A Christian response to Coronavirus

Posted on by David L'Herroux

The news about coronavirus is all over the media and is heard in almost every conversation. This is a very unusual situation, and we can choose to respond in one of two ways: with fear or with faith.

It is very interesting to see how people around the world are reacting differently. Some people are reacting by panic buying (and emptying the shelves), while others seem to be almost indifferent. For me, the question is how should we, as believers, respond?

First of all, our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by this sickness: individuals, families, health services, and communities as well as national leaders and governments. They all need God’s wisdom and guidance as they deal with this situation. And for us as a nation, where do we find healing when every day, the news seems to grow even more serious?

For me personally, my only advice is to stand firmly upon God’s Word, for that is where I find my comfort and strength. God’s Word has been the anchor for my own family in very desperate times, and it is the one thing that we can ALWAYS rely on. God’s Word never changes, and it contains all we need for hope, comfort, healing, wisdom and guidance.

If you are fearful, grieving or broken today, let the truth of God’s Word sink into your heart.

But you may say ‘What if we can’t stop this virus? What if it becomes widespread in the United Kingdom or wherever I live, as some experts predict?’

Well let’s stand firm upon His Word! Psalm 112:6-8 is a great encouraging reminder as to what our response should be. It says: ‘For the righteous will never be moved, he will be remembered forever, he is not afraid of bad news, his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord, his heart is steady, he will not be afraid.’

We all have to face bad news at some point in our life. If it’s not the virus, it will be something else. Let’s remind ourselves that we live in a fallen and broken world where suffering and even death are inevitable. To deny this truth would be lying to ourselves, but we as Christians do not need to fear bad news. It is important to not be in denial, and as a nation, we should take all sensible precautions, but we do not need to be crippled by the fear of what ‘might happen’. The psalmist demonstrates that it is possible to look bad news right in the face and say ‘You will NOT rule my heart.’ Our emotions may sway, but we will not be blown off course.

You might think that is easy for me to write, but practically, how can we rise above the circumstances when we are surrounded by fear?

Well, here are some practical responses:

Prayer

Pray in FAITH. Remember faith is not denying fear but mastering it. What you fear the most reveals where you trust God the least. Therefore, put your faith in God and watch as He starts to eradicate your fears. ‘Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer… believe that you have received it… and it will be yours’ (Mark 11:24).

Prepare

Prepare WISELY. Don’t deny the facts, but plan wisely and let’s be aware of Paul’s words in Ephesians 6:12 KJV: ‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.’ And the preceding verse tells us to be well prepared to ‘put on the whole armour of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.’

Proclaim

Proclaim HOPE. In this world of uncertainty, we can have great confidence as we hold on to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. And it enables us to ‘Rejoice in hope… be patient in tribulation… continue steadfastly in prayer’(Romans 12).

‘I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit‘ (Romans 15:13).

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Christianity

Watch your words…

Posted on by David L'Herroux

When I was a child on my first day at a new school, a teacher asked the class what we wanted to do when we grew up. When it was my turn, I told her I wanted to be a surgeon, and she laughed. She said ‘Do you realise David, that is a lot of studying? I can’t see you doing it. I can see you emptying bins.’

For many years, those words stayed with me and sometimes informed the decisions I made. Was there any point in trying if I wasn’t capable of achieving much? However, when I rededicated my life to the Lord when I was 18, everything changed! I discovered what God thought about me, and I discovered that His Word could delete the past and delete all the harmful words that had impacted my life. Although I had no educational qualifications, the Word of God showed me that man’s labels do not matter. The only labels I should be concerned with are God’s labels!

Over the years, I have discovered that while God’s words are the most important, the words we use and what we choose to believe as a result can also have an impact on our lives. Proverbs 23:7 says ‘As a man thinks in his heart, so is he’, and I believe it’s important to be aware of the reality of our words and our thoughts.

Our thoughts will affect what we say and our words will affect who we are. Proverbs 18:21 says: ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue’, and so we should never underestimate the power of our thoughts and our words to shape destinies and our own future. Words can kill marriages and relationships and destroy churches and ministries. But words can also bring life, hope, healing, and reconciliation.

In a world which seems to be more divided than ever before (especially on social media), we need peacemakers and reconcilers, believers who will use their words to reflect the life and peace that is found through Jesus. Luke 6:45 says: ‘A good man produces good deeds from a good heart. And an evil man produces evil deeds from his hidden wickedness. Whatever is in the heart overflows into speech.’

I want my heart to be full of God’s Word, full of praise to Him, for what is in my heart will flow out into my words and then out into my actions.

Can I challenge you today? What are you thinking about? What are you saying? What are you believing? Are they words of life and hope that reflect what God says about you and the situations you are facing? Or are they words of death and despondency?

As a young man, another person’s negative words could have shaped my whole life, but I am thankful for the revelation of God’s Word which showed me the truth.

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Christianity

What is your purpose?

Posted on by David L'Herroux

Sometimes, if I ever drive past a cemetery, I don’t think about the people who are buried there but about the purpose buried there. How many songs went unsung? How many poems and stories went unwritten? The truth is, many people leave this world not knowing or realising their purpose. And today, many more are also living without knowing or realising their purpose. Many people simply do not know that God breathes purpose into every living thing, and He has also breathed purpose into you and me.

For me personally, I discovered my purpose when I rededicated my life to God. I did not yet know what God’s plans were for my life, but I knew I had a purpose. It took me many years to discover God’s plan, but because I knew He had a purpose for me, I was just as content back then being a janitor as I am today being a CEO.

So, how do you find your purpose?

Don’t confuse plans with purpose

The definition of purpose is, the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.

The definition of plan is a detailed proposal for doing or achieving something. An intention or decision about what one is going to do.

We all have plans for our lives. Someday I will do this or someday I will do that. That is not your purpose; those are your plans. And all our plans are meaningless if we do not understand our purpose. God first puts a sense of purpose into our heart. We might not know what the plan is, but He will use our lives, our natural gifts, and our sense of purpose to help move us into His plan.

If we knew the plan in advance, we might run away

In the Bible, God gave Joseph a clear purpose. Joseph knew through dreams that he was to be a leader. He did not know that to get to that point, he would face rape allegations, prison and isolation. If God had revealed the plan up front, he might have run in the opposite direction. But through all of those trials, God was shaping Joseph, making him ready for the plan of leadership

It’s not about you

When God started to reveal His plan for my life, I began to realise His plan was not about me at all. It was about Him using me to reach others. God wanted to take my passion, my gift, my sense of purpose and use them all to bring about His plan in my life and also help to release that in others’ lives. So many Biblical characters were used by God to bring about change for others. Mary was handpicked to deliver a messiah who would save the world. Paul was given the task of leaving everything behind in order to carry the message of salvation all across the Middle East. They were not ‘special’ people. They simply knew they had a purpose, and they allowed God to use them (and their gifts) to bring about His plan.

Can I encourage you today that you have a purpose. Everything God creates has a purpose, and we each have a job to do. If you do not feel that you do, ask God to plant His sense of purpose into your life. He might not show you what is ahead, but when you know deep down that you have a heavenly purpose, everything in your life will change.

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Christian Media, Christian Radio, Christianity, Devotional, Faith

Are you ready to have your best year yet?

Posted on by David L'Herroux

When you look to the year ahead, what sort of year would you like to have? A good year? A better year? Or the best year?

That sounds like an unusual question. After all, we ALL want to have the best year we have ever had! However, over Christmas, I was reflecting on the past year (which was a very challenging year for UCB), and I was asking God for the new year to be the best year we have ever had. I felt God speak to my heart and challenge me on what ‘best’ actually means. Why should we have the best year? Do we have any right to ask for such a thing? How can we plug into God’s best for our lives?

What are you talking about?

As we look back over the year that was, many of us tend to share the good and the bad experiences of the last 12 months. I have learned over the years that what we talk about has the ability to change the atmosphere around us. If we are sharing good news and giving thanks to God for what He’s done, it fills others with faith and changes the atmosphere to one of expectancy. But if we are talking about the negative, those words too can change the atmosphere – and not for the better. I believe that to see God’s best in our lives, we need to focus less on the experiences and instead focus on our expectations. What do we want God to do in those situations? What do we ‘see’? What do we expect? Instead of talking about the physical circumstances, let’s instead set our eyes on the vision that God has given us.

We need to be changed

To see God’s best, we need to be ready and willing to be changed. That is an uncomfortable place for many people, but God is a God of transformation, and He is never finished with us! Last year at UCB, we invested significantly in our team, giving them opportunity to meet with God in fresh ways. We invited different speakers to address the staff and encouraged the team to seek out their own fresh experience with God. A visit last year from itinerant minister Fergus Mcintyre was a turning point for many of our team, some experiencing the manifest presence of God in their lives for the first time. But for God to move, each of us has to be willing to allow Him to move in our lives. 2 Timothy 3:17  (KJV) says ‘All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.’

We need to be equipped for all that God is going to do, and that means His process of transformation in our lives is never finished (not while we are on this earth anyway!).

What is your room furnished with?

2 Kings 4 tells the story of a noblewoman who was so impacted by the ministry of the prophet Elisha that she and her husband built a room in their house for him to stay in whenever he passed through their town. They furnished the room with a bed, a table, a stool, and a candlestick. In a future blog, I will share what I believe each of these items represents, but I think the simplicity of this furniture was designed to help Elisha find rest, peace and intimacy. These three areas are so important for us too as believers. What is our room, or our heart, actually furnished with? Is it cluttered and noisy and distracted? Or is our heart furnished with peace and rest and stillness with God?

If like me (and UCB), you are looking ahead to 2018, then can I encourage you to speak with expectancy, allow yourself to be changed and transformed and to find that place of rest and intimacy? Let’s believe together that God indeed will give us the BEST year yet!

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Christian Media, Christian Radio, Christianity, Faith, Healing, Hope, Miracles

Darkness will never extinguish the light! 

Posted on by David L'Herroux

I am in France this week taking part in an exciting mission with Pastor Marc Declaudure’s churches in three townsL Saumur, Thouard, and Ludun. I woke up this morning, like many others, to devastating news headlines: Manchester Arena blast: 22 dead and a further 59 people were injured after another suspected terror attack.

Although I was born in France, I have lived in the UK for well over 40 years, and my wife and I raised our family here. The UK is our home.

I was in France in November 2015, when terrorists attacked Paris. And similar to that incident, I was in the middle of an exciting week of mission at my brother’s church then too. We were seeing incredible miracles, lives set free, and people committing their lives to Christ.

We were full of excitement at what God was doing, and then we heard the horrific news about Paris. Our hearts were broken, just as they are today for the people of Manchester, for all those who have been injured, for all those who have lost someone.

We are so thankful to live in a country that is able to respond quickly and with deep compassion in the face of a tragedy.

As Christians, we sometimes wonder what to say in the face of such a terrible situation. Today, I am again reminded of the words of Psalm 37, this very same Psalm that we read the Sunday morning after the attacks in Paris:

Do not fret because of those who are evil

or be envious of those who do wrong

Be still before the Lord

and wait patiently for him;

do not fret when people succeed in their ways,

when they carry out their wicked schemes.  

The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord;

he is their stronghold in times of trouble.

The Lord helps them and delivers them;

he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,

because they take refuge in him. 

How can we pray?

Firstly, let’s consider people. Let’s pray for those who are fighting for their lives. Let’s pray for the families and those who have lost someone they loved. Let’s also pray for those who witnessed the attack and for the local residents who have to come to terms with this enormous tragedy. Let’s pray also for the medical centres who are working with the injured.

Secondly, we need to pray for wisdom for our Governments as they discuss and debate what happens next: pray that they choose ways and responses which are inspired by God and not necessarily their own intuition.

Thirdly, let us always go to God’s Word for our answers. His Word (John 1:5) says that the darkness in the world will get darker, but that darkness will never extinguish light. In fact, it says that light (His light) will continue to shine brighter and the darkness CANNOT overcome it.

That is where I get my strength and hope. Let’s pray with passion for our world and all those who are suffering and grieving today.

And may God’s light, His inextinguishable light shine ever brighter in the middle of the darkness we see.

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Christian Media, Christian Radio, Christianity, Devotional, Easter, Evangelism, Faith, Hope, Miracles

Face fear with your faith!

Posted on by David L'Herroux

After the arrest of Jesus and later His execution, we know that the disciples were afraid.

John 20:19 tells us that on the evening of the first day, they were together ‘with the doors locked.’ It must have been a very distressing time. Their best friend and Saviour had been publicly executed, and they must have been very shocked by all they had witnessed. In fear for his life, Peter had denied knowing Jesus, and now they were all hiding behind locked doors.

This picture hidden away in a room is an illustration to me of what the enemy tries to do in our lives. I believe fear is the greatest weapon of the enemy – fear literally paralyses us and stops us from moving forward.

It might be the fear of ill health, of losing your job, of what others think. It does not matter; it all has the same outcome – it holds us back from all that God wants us to do. It was the same for the disciples. Just a few days before, they had been enjoying a Passover meal with Jesus, and then they were in hiding, trying to preserve their lives. They were unable to move forward.

The amazing part of this story to me is that when Jesus appeared to them, He asked them ‘Why are you frightened?’ Luke 24:36 says Jesus asked them: ‘Why do you doubt that it is really I? Look at my hands! Look at my feet! You can see that it is I, myself! Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost! For ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do!’ As he spoke, he held out his hands for them to see the marks of the nails and showed them the wounds in his feet.

Luke 24:41 says ‘Still they stood there undecided, filled with joy and doubt.’

Even when Jesus appeared to them in power and wonder, after being so brutally killed, they were still not sure whether they could believe their eyes!

The journey of faith is not always an easy one, and sometimes even when we know and experience Jesus in the middle of the situations we face, we wonder if He really will save us. This story speaks to us of the heart and mercy of Jesus. He appeared to the disciples in the middle of all their doubt and confusion, and then he ate a meal with them. As they listened to all that he said, the Word of God tells us that they ‘opened their minds to understand at last the Scriptures.’

I believe that faith is a journey. We do not always feel full of faith, but we can make a decision to trust in all that God has said to us. Faith is not the absence of fear; it is the mastering of fear.

For me, the story of Easter speaks to us of hope, of life, and of Jesus meeting us in the middle of our confusion and reminding us that we have nothing to fear.

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Christian Media, Christian Radio, Christianity, Devotional, Easter, Faith, Forgiveness, Healing

Jesus will meet you at your point of need – Mary Magdalene’s story

Posted on by David L'Herroux

I have spoken before about some of the losses our family has faced. In the immediate aftermath of a bereavement, without God’s help, it can feel as though life cannot continue without that loved one. However, thank God for His Word that sustains and holds us together during the very darkest times of our lives.

I have been trying to put myself in the shoes of the friends of Jesus: the disciples, the people who were his companions during his life on Earth. I have been wondering what they must have felt after he was executed? What was it like after Jesus was resurrected? How did they feel when they saw him again for the first time since the atrocity of his death?

Mary Magdalene was one of those friends. She was a woman with a dark past whose life had been changed forever after an encounter with Jesus. Although she must have known he was the messiah, did she experience any doubt after she witnessed his death? Did she wonder if Jesus was really coming back? Did she experience despair and grief? Even when we know the truth, in the dark experiences of our lives, it can be easy to focus on the circumstances of what we see.

Whatever she felt, whether it was hope or hopelessness, we know that on Resurrection morning, after Jesus rose from the dead, everything changed. Matthew 28 says ‘Suddenly, Jesus met them.’

This word ‘suddenly’ is very important to me personally because it reminds me that just at my point of need, just when I need him most, that is when Jesus appears.

For Mary Magdalene (and the others who saw the risen Christ), when Jesus met them, in an instant, hope and peace was restored: they could see a future. They knew they would get through this. In that moment, they experienced the resurrection for themselves.

The resurrection was not just an event in history – it was an event which brought hope to the friends of Jesus, hope to all who witnessed it, and hope for today’s world, thousands of years later.

Whatever you are going through, even if it seems like an impossible situation, the death and life of Jesus reminds us that there is a future, and that because of the resurrection, whatever life brings our way, we can have hope and peace. When Jesus meets us, everything changes.

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