Weekly Devotion - Good Times and Bad Times

Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praises. Jas 5:13

How are you today?  When you woke up this morning, did you open your eyes feeling sore, not wanting to go to work, did you groan as you prepared for the day ahead, are you suffering loss?  These are some things that cause us suffering.  Or did you wake up, stretch your arms and felt great!  You were looking forward to another day?

As write this I am looking out my study window and it is clear blue sky!  There is a light breeze tickling the coconut fronds.  I am in good spirits!  If you are feeling down you won’t like to hear me say that.    

Likewise, if you are in good spirits and I tell you that I am feeling miserable, you won’t want to hear that either.  This is because the human emotion of “feeling” something is so unreliable and not to be trusted.

The instruction given to us by the Apostle James makes it clear that whenever we are suffering we should turn our attention to God and seek Him in prayer.

“Believe in prayer and you will pray believingly” 

(1891, Spurgeon, sermon 2209)

And if we are in good spirits, we should turn our attention to God and praise him – thank him for your good situation.  We all go through both situations, we ride up and down.  But no matter what, and in every situation, turn your attention to God.

The universe came into existence as a medium through which the Creator might show forth His perfections to all moral and intellectual beings: “I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another” (Isa 42:8).  “Thou art worthy,O Lord, to receive glory, and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Rev 4:11) (A W Tozer- Man, The Dwelling Place of God)

Many of you in Vanuatu would have been on a boat to travel back to your home island.  Or perhaps you have been out fishing. the rocking of the boat can make you sick. The worst thing you can do is look down.  Experienced travellers will tell the sea-sick person to look up and concentrate not on the waves or things close at hand but the horizon. Why? – The Horizon doesn’t move – you do!  Likewise, when you are feeling down, look something  unchangeable and unshakable – God.

For I am the LORD, I change not; Mal 3:6a

Now what happens if you are feeling great but then you take your eyes off the horizon, then you will start concentrating on things back in the boat and you will feel sick again. So it is often with us.  We feel great and we forget to thank God at this time.  Keep your eyes on the unchangeable and unshakable God.

A parallel to this is found in Matthew 8:24-27.  The disciples were with Jesus and a great storm came up.  The disciples panicked.  They were looking at things close at hand.  They were concentrating on the waves.  What was Jesus doing – sleeping!  You can see here that we humans get thrown around, but the unmovable cannot get thrown around.  The good news here is that Jesus proved that no matter what the problem, and how big it appears, that problem itself is under submission to Him.

This week, spend time each day in prayer.  Ask God to help you and also be sure to also praise Him.  If you do not know what to say, use the bible verses above as a guide.  Often the best prayer and praise to God is by proclaiming God's Words.

Through him [Jesus] then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, acknowledging his [Jesus] name. Heb 13:15

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