Sunday September 17, 2017 -Though He Slay Me"

In our daily lives, we can become short-sighted. We tend to focus on what is impacting our lives in the present moment and less on the bigger picture. When circumstances surrounding us become too great for us to see any hope of overcoming them or any way out, we can take heart. God is always near. Elijah cried out to God and God was as present for Elijah then as He had been when fire was called down from heaven. God is with us in the fire. He speaks in the raging storms of life and He sometimes whispers to us in our time of great need. There are moments in all of our lives when we wonder where our help will come from. We have to recognize in times of trouble and struggle that God challenges us and can strengthen us. Oftentimes, in our seasons of uncertainty and pain, God is closest to us; what breaks us today can bring glory to God tomorrow. Our lives are so much more than the moment we are living in. They are about the overarching story that God is unfolding for the world.  Our pain is not meaningless.  "For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever." 2 Corinthians 4:17   1 Kings 19:7 Kenny Nix, Pastor