"For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf."
2 Corinthians 1:8-11
There aren't a lot of details of why they despaired of their lives in this story, but the reason that they were saved and could keep going after that are very clear. When they couldn't trust themselves to get out of it, God was still there to trust in. God delivered them, still was delivering them, and they knew that he would continue to deliver them... and prayers are also helpful, presumably since faith and hope strengthen that whole cycle. :)
God didn't just deliver Paul and his companions from their trouble in Asia, but he delivers each of us when we are pressed out of measure, beyond our strength to endure or deliver, and even when we think there is no hope and we are going to die. When there is nothing left in ourselves to trust in, God is still there to trust. He can deliver us from death, from sin, from illness, and from our worst mistakes. It isn't always in the ways that we expect. People still die, and consequences aren't always avoided, and certainly can't be dictated. But the deliverance comes anyway, and is the way we find our way out of tragedy and sorrow and pain. God knows the way to save us, and it always leads to him.
Today, let's learn to trust in God when we can't trust in ourselves. Let's recognize that he has delivered us, is still delivering us, and will continue to deliver us as we trust in him. Also, let's do some serious praying for each other. We all need it. Anything we can do to reinforce God's cycle of saving is going to help.
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf."
2 Corinthians 1:8-11
There aren't a lot of details of why they despaired of their lives in this story, but the reason that they were saved and could keep going after that are very clear. When they couldn't trust themselves to get out of it, God was still there to trust in. God delivered them, still was delivering them, and they knew that he would continue to deliver them... and prayers are also helpful, presumably since faith and hope strengthen that whole cycle. :)
God didn't just deliver Paul and his companions from their trouble in Asia, but he delivers each of us when we are pressed out of measure, beyond our strength to endure or deliver, and even when we think there is no hope and we are going to die. When there is nothing left in ourselves to trust in, God is still there to trust. He can deliver us from death, from sin, from illness, and from our worst mistakes. It isn't always in the ways that we expect. People still die, and consequences aren't always avoided, and certainly can't be dictated. But the deliverance comes anyway, and is the way we find our way out of tragedy and sorrow and pain. God knows the way to save us, and it always leads to him.
Today, let's learn to trust in God when we can't trust in ourselves. Let's recognize that he has delivered us, is still delivering us, and will continue to deliver us as we trust in him. Also, let's do some serious praying for each other. We all need it. Anything we can do to reinforce God's cycle of saving is going to help.
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