21 Days: Day 5

Hello and welcome to another day of 21 days of prayer and fasting. My name is Jeff Odum, and I'm here at Be Hope church, and I'm on staff with Be Hope College. So today we've or this week we've been talking about how God provides for all of us. I just started to think about what better story to think about than the story of Noah.So in this story, and in Genesis, we see that God isn't very happy with the people of the land. And so God decides to wipe everything out with a massive flood. But at the same time, God finds favor in Noah. He asks him to build an ark. He asks him to take his family, get two of every animal so that they could be safe when all of those flood waters would rise and devastate the land.Now we definitely see God's power here, but we also see how God is planning to provide for a better future. One of the verses that stuck out to me during this in Genesis was Genesis seven verses 18. It says, as the waters rose higher and higher, the boat floated safely. Have you ever been in a time where your life you felt that you didn't know was happening, why it was happening, or that the waters were rising?Where are you going to sink? Where are you going to swim? We didn't know. We don't understand why. We have a lot of emotions, a lot of feelings. But at the same time, God has a plan for us. A plan to prosper and a plan to thrive. So recently in my life, I had made a transition in a career path.I was in a new career for a year. It was going good, but it wasn't exactly what I thought it was. And so after a year, I was kind of disappointed in the way it was working out. And so I wanted to make another change. And you know, when you start questioning yourself and you're saying, hey, is this a change that I want?Or is this a change that God wants? And so I really thought I heard from God. He was telling me to do these things, and it seemed like everything was lining up just right. I was going to be able to change. I was going to be able to step into my calling, and I was going to be able to be there and be more present for my family.So I made this change after talking to my wife, praying about it. And then soon after, it seemed like all of the wheels were falling off. I had to go through a surgery so I couldn't do one opportunity that I wanted to do. Then life happened, so another opportunity was lost. And then I got into yet another opportunity.And while I thought it was going to be great, quite frankly, it led me a little bit disappointed, frustrated and angry because I thought I had it all together and I thought it was going to be just what I needed to actually step into my calling. So I'm sure that many of you feel like that at times. You may feel like the cards are stacked up against you.You may feel like the water is rising. You don't know if you're going to be able to sink or swim. You don't understand why it's going to happen. But today, I want to challenge you. I want to challenge you to take a pause. Draw closer to God and just pray. Talk to God and just have an assurance that God has good plans and he will provide for you and your future.So let us pray. Dear God, I thank you for who you are and for all that you provide. I ask you to help us to remember during this time that you will never leave us or forsake us. There are a few things I ask today, God, that we remember that you give us a peace that surpasses all understanding.That your will to be done in our life. I ask and pray for strength for all of us who are facing obstacles and struggles in life, so that we may rely on your strength and not our own God. I also pray that all of us never lose sight of your power and the good intentions and the good will that you have in store for us.That you comfort us so that we have peace and an understanding that you will not leave us, that we have a community to support us. And more importantly, more importantly, we have a loving Lord and Savior who believes in us, who loves us and wants to see us succeed. God, we thank you for all that you do, all that you are, and all that you provide.In Jesus name, Amen.