Luke 4:18 -- On Distress and Deliverance

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,"
Luke 4:18


I like that the Spirit is about helping people in their distress. Sometimes we think that when things are bad that the Lord doesn't want to talk to us or doesn't love us, because we are such messes... but God loves us more than that, and especially wants to help us when things are wrong, because he knows that we are in pain. Even when our troubles are self-inflicted, God is there to show us the way out, and to help us get back on his path.

Today, let's remember that God is there for us in our distress, and be willing to turn to him in times of trouble.  And when things aren't quite as stressful, let's help him in his work, and reach out to those who are suffering, and help them as Christ would.