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Never Would Have Made It

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"Unless the LORD had been my help; my soul had almost dwelt in silence."--Psalm 94:17


Have you ever considered how you made it through the several months? We are facing a global health crisis unlike any in the 75-year history of the United Nations — one that is killing people, spreading human suffering, and upending people’s lives.


But this is much more than a health crisis. It is a human, economic and social crisis. The COVID-19, which has been characterized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), is attacking societies at their core.


Since its onset, the COVID-19 pandemic has spread to almost all countries of the world. Social and physical distancing measures, lock-downs of businesses, schools and overall social life, which have become commonplace to curtail the spread of the disease, have also disrupted many regular aspects of life, including sport and physical activity.


Despite all of that, God saw fit to help us get through. There is very little we can do in any given year that does not require God's miraculous intervention for us to survive. Without God's help, we would not have made it through. Even those of us who were touched by some of the problems, still made it. God kept his word to us. He said that he will never forsake us or leave us.


The fact is that the grace of God surrounded and strengthened us. God's grace placed someone by our side in times of trouble and helped us. The grace of God caused a full plate to be placed on our table when we hungered and it was the grace of God that placed us in the hands of the right doctor, teacher, coach and mentor. It wasn't luck, it was the grace of God.


The 94th Psalm is a unique Psalm which focuses on Israel praise to God during their wilderness journey.


Generally, David is noted as the principal writer of the psalms, but not all of the Psalms were written by David. David wrote 73 of the 150 Psalms.


There are 50 psalms that are anonymous. Moses wrote the 90th Psalm. The 72nd and 127th Psalm were written by Solomon.


Some were written by Asaph and others by the sons of Korah. Psalm 90-94 were written during Israel's 40-year wilderness journey. During this time, they were attacked by enemies, which the Lord destroyed in the Red Sea.


Because of their unwillingness to follow God's directions given to them through Moses, they wandered around in circles in the desert for 40 years. Often, they demonstrated a foolish nature by ignoring God's direction bringing trouble upon themselves.


Yet, God provided for them. When they were to the point of thirsting to death, God provided water for them from a rock. When they had no food, God provided bread from heaven that appeared on the ground every day for 40 years. When they had no meat, huge flocks of quail appeared every day. Their clothes did not wear out; they never had to change shoes.


The 94th psalm describes a period in Israel's national life when it had reached a point of giving up completely. They could not get it together. The land of promise was so close but they simply could not make themselves reach out and grab the promise. They constantly fell into faithlessness, sometimes idolatry and wickedness that caused them considerable trouble.


The psalm looks back over the distance traveled and realized that God chastised Israel for its wayward ways but never stopped loving them. Psalm 94:12 uses the word "chastenest" to describe their experience. To be chastised is to be taught a lesson or to be trained. The object of chastisement is that the student will arise, wiser and stronger having learned an important lesson.


In the wilderness, Israel was certainly chastised. They learned through their suffering that they should be obedient to God and trust in him wholly. They also learned that God will not allow those who wronged them to escape without punishment. Psalm 94:13 notes that a pit is being dug for the wicked who troubled God's people during their chastisement.


The psalm raises the question "Who stood up for me against the wicked? Who took my side against evil workers?" The answer came in verse 17 "If God had not been there for me, I never would have made it."


Through their faith in him, Israel made it through the wilderness and marched into the Promised Land, stronger, wiser and better than they had been in the wilderness. When they looked back, they concluded, "We never could have made it, without the Lord."


Like Israel, now we stand on the threshold of a new experience, and we look back we see what God has brought us through.


When Israel began their journey, they were attacked by Pharaoh who tried to re-enslave them. God buried the entire army of Egypt in the Red Sea. When we look back, we can see the many ways that God has protected us.


In Psalm 124:2-3 David said, "If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us: Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us."-You survived because God has something better in store for you. There is a Promised Land awaiting you; it has been assured.


Looking back, we are happy because we know that we did not have the strength to protect ourselves, but God is able. In our time of trouble, he was our help. The bible says Psalm 146:5 says, "Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God."


HE PROVIDED FOR US: In the wilderness Israel ate every day and people are still trying to figure out where the food came from. They had clothes to wear and no cloth, and people are still trying to figure that out. In the same way, God has provided for us. People were laid off their, some lost their houses, plants closed and yet God led us through the wilderness and kept food on our table and clothes on your back. People are still trying to figure that out.


God blessed our plans and decisions and made them work for you. God opened up doors for you and prepared a table for you. That's what Psalm 23:5 means when it says "Thou preparest a table before me." It means that God provides for our needs.


The bible says in Philippians 4:19 puts it this way, "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." No matter what came up God provided just what we needed, when we needed it. knows, yes he knows, just how much we can bear."


Israel made several foolish decisions in their wilderness journey. Once, they decided to abandon God altogether and build them a golden calf to worship.


Yet despite their foolishness God saved from themselves. He's had to do the same for us today; save us from ourselves.


We must consider that we made it only by the grace of God and it is grace that will see us through the time that is ahead of us.. The grace of God looks down on us and continues to bless. The grace of God showers opportunities upon us. His grace has a divine purpose.


We made it through the trouble and trials because there is a divine plan at work. Those who know the Lord have arisen from struggles, stronger, wiser and better. That might have been the divine plan in the first place.


We have to learned to trust God more and "lean not unto thine own understanding." We have learned to pray before we act and to seek God's will. We have learned that in our weakest hour that God can make us strong.


We made it thus far but it was not luck, it was the hand of God gently nudging us in right direction. Now, looking forward we should be encouraged to know that the same God who saw us through is still on the throne!We made it, because God heard our prayers in the midnight hour! We made it, because God raised up our bowed down heads!


We made it, because God lifted us up when we fell down! We made it, because God gave us:

  • STRENGTH when our burdens became heavy.

  • ASSURANCE when everything seemed to go wrong.

  • INSPIRATION when difficulties arose.

I don't know what the future holds, but I know that if God smiles on us, we'll have: Joy in spite of our sorrows; Peace in spite of our problems; Contentment in spite of our burdens; assurance in spite of our frustrations; Comfort in spite of our pain; Victory in spite of our defeats. I never would have made if he had not decided to pick up an old rugged cross! I never would have made if he had not carried that cross to Golgotha's hill!


I'm glad that He died for me out on Calvary! But I never would have made if not for the fact that Early Sunday morning he arose from the grave with all power in his hands! I never would have made it without the Lord.

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