Sunday 11 February 2007

He knows those who trust in Him

“The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.” - Nahum 1v7

Nineveh really messed up. Only about a hundred years after the great spiritual awakening under Jonah’s preaching they had reverted to their old ways. After an initial positive response they next generations had rushed back into their sin.

God is just and holy. He cannot tolerate sin in any measure. Their sins had to be judged. The prophet Nahum was sent to Nineveh to let them know of the coming judgement. His little book is full of God’s wrath on the people for their sin.

Yet, early on Nineveh has a few words of comfort for those who are truly the Lord’s. There must be some there who had never turned from God. To them God has great words of comfort for them to hold on to during the pending doom:

  • The Lord is good
  • He is a stronghold in the day of trouble
  • He know them that trust in Him

Years ago I chose this as my own special “life verse” because of the depth of the comfort He provides. First is the statement of God’s inherent goodness. This is foundational to the rest of the passage. In all things and all circumstances he must remember that He is good, all good, and always good. Because He is good He is a stronghold that we can cling to in the worst days of trouble and conflict. There is a place we can turn in the very worst of days. Finally – we have the full knowledge that He knows those that put their trust in Him. He knows all about our deepest and darkest struggles. He knows us better than anyone else even could.

We are living in dark and troublesome days. Praise my Almighty God for His goodness, for the fact that I can hold on to Him in the darkest days, and that He knows me.

Imagine that, the God Who said, “Let there be light, knows Roger Parrow!!

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