March 28, 2016
Deuteronomy 33:25, 27
(All scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated.)
I featured this Scripture, Deuteronomy 33:25 through 27 in a four-blog series called Facing The Future (see December 30, 2015 through January 6, 2016). In this blog I am using just a part of verses 25 and 27: “…as your days, so shall your strength be….The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”
I have a dear friend who has just been diagnosed with stage two breast cancer. If anyone needs A Hug From God, she needs it, and so does her husband! This is just the Scripture for them to rest upon! We have been praying for her healing – first that they would find nothing of concern from analyzing the biopsy, now that God would touch her body as only He can, and heal her completely! I believe in divine healing. I practice anointing the sick (see James 5:13-16), laying on of hands for healing (see Mark 16:18), and praying for the sick one’s complete recovery (see Mark 11:23, 24). And I have seen God work miracles of healing as a result!
But I also confess I do not fully understand why some are healed and some are not. Is it lack of faith – theirs or mine? I am encouraged by the account of Jesus healing the demonic boy in Mark 9:14 through 29. Here is what happened in verses 22 through 24 (Good News Bible):
The boy’s father told Jesus, “Many times the evil spirit has tried to kill
him by throwing him in the fire and into water. Have pity on us and
help us, if you possibly can!” “Yes,” said Jesus, “if you yourself can!
Everything is possible for the person who has faith.” The father at once
cried out, “I do have faith, but not enough. Help me have more!”
…or as the father’s response in verse 24 is translated in NKJV, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” In other words, “Lord, I believe, but I’ve got a lot of doubts! Help me!” And in spite of his shaky faith, Jesus honored what faith the father had and healed his boy! (See verses 25-27). That’s like me! Too often I have ‘shaky faith’! But God still honors faith, even if it shaky!
So I am using my faith and understanding of it all, and praying for the complete healing of my friend. In the meantime, she and her husband need A Hug From God – that everything is under His control, and that she is going to be alright! That’s where Deuteronomy 33:25 and 27 come in:
• “…as your days, so shall your strength be….” – God will give us the strength to match our days – to match the trial that we are currently facing, and to get through that trial victoriously!
• “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” – This is the Hug From God!
Read Hebrews 11 – The Hall of Heros of the faith – examples from the saints of the Old Testament. Some were miraculously delivered, some were not! But all were given the faith needed to go through the trials that they were facing! All of them were held in the everlasting arms of God! All of them received A Hug From God!
It says in Hebrews 4:13, “…there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” He knows us completely! In Psalm 139:1 through 5 the psalmist writes:
O LORD, You have searched me, and known me. You know my sitting
down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You com-
prehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my
ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O LORD, You
know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, and laid
Your hand upon me.
And it is written in Psalm 103:14 (God’s Word to the Nations): “He certainly knows what we are made of. He bears in mind that we are dust.”
And knowing us completely, God knows what we need! He had the Apostle Paul write this in Philippians 4:19: “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
There are times when I approach my wonderful wife and tell her, “I am in desperate need of a hug!” She stops what she is doing and gives me that big hug! I go on my way happy! God knows our needs! Sometimes – a lot of times, especially when we are facing severe trials – we are in desperate need of A Hug From God! And He is always there to give it! For “…underneath are the everlasting arms.”