This weekend we got away for a little R & R with our precious friends Kim and Ed Davis and their daughters, Kaitlin and Ashley.
We have been friends since 2007 when we met at church—little did we know the joy this friendship would bring us and the sorrow we would feel when they had to move away. Thirteen years have come and have gone, but we still pick up right where we left off when we get together.
This weekend they surprised us with an airplane flight around Melbourne, FL. Ed is a pastor and pilot at Wings of Grace. He took us up and we flew near the Kennedy Space Center, over the Atlantic Ocean, and down the beach and back to Melbourne. We saw three Disney cruise ships floating off from Port Canaveral. It was my first time in a 4-seater plane and I loved the experience. Takeoff is still my favorite part of flying—the Cessna didn’t disappoint either!
Kim reminded me this week how important it is for us to not give into fear, but to trust God with the BIG and small details. He takes care of them all.
Read her wise words about 2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.“
I read this scripture verse in a devotional about three or four months ago in January or maybe early February. God speaks through His Word and I believe God was giving me His word for events that were about to take place in the world. I didn’t know after reading that devotional how I would be living by this Bible verse and at times hanging on to this verse daily.
These past few months have brought on so many changes and so many ups and downs. It is so easy to be fearful and afraid. There are many places in the Bible where God interacts with someone or an angel of the Lord interacts with someone and usually at some point in the interaction God says, “Don’t be afraid I am with you.” Now there are times that people meet God and they should be afraid because they are not walking with God; there are stories like that in the Bible also. But I am going to focus on Joshua. When Joshua was taking the mantle from Moses and he was going to be the new leader of Israel, God told Joshua to not to be afraid. God knew exactly what Joshua was going to need and God was going to be right there with him. God tells Joshua that He would not leave him nor forsake him. God had been grooming Joshua through Moses for many years and now that it was Joshua’s time to step up to the plate; the Lord would be with Joshua.
It doesn’t matter what we are going through in this life. God already knows about it. God is never ever caught off guard. He is in control of everything and that should always bring us a sense of peace. Often, however, I have to be reminded. He is with us and will never leave us nor forsake us.
At the beginning of the outbreak of Coronavirus here in the U.S., there was a major outbreak of panic and chaos that took place in grocery stores all over America. We can all remember toilet paper and paper products and that is all I am going to say!
But other things were also being sold out. At one point, I had trouble finding meat—ground beef specifically. I did not feel like God was leading me to stockpile food or anything else. We did need a few things, and I set out for the grocery store in a good mental place. I truly had a sense of calm and peace. It did not take long for that peace to disappear. I got to the store and could find no meat. I went to several stores and finally found some ground chicken which I wasn’t really looking for. I was about to just buy it when I felt God saying, “Kim, I want you to put it down and go home. Trust in me. I will provide for you.”
So I did. I put it down. I went home and just took some deep breaths. I prayed and read the Word and trusted in Him. Through all of this turmoil God has never stopped providing. Thank you Lord!
I can choose today to be scared and fearful and wonder what is going to happen or I can choose to trust in him and not give into fear. There is only one enemy and that is Satan. But Satan is not bigger than God and he will never overcome or overpower God in any way shape or form. God’s will is sovereign and Satan will be cast down in the end. I can rejoice in the Lord and know that I am safe.
I pray that you rejoice in your salvation in Jesus. He cleanses and makes our sins as white as snow. Through Jesus we can stand firm in his strength and not our own. I pray today that if you are scared, afraid, and/or frustrated, that you will bring all that before the Lord and know that He is with you. Jesus loves you; you are square in the palm of His hand and He will never let go. We have no reason to be afraid because God is with us.
And by the way, just so you know how faithful and trustworthy our God is—He provided that ground beef at another store 3 days later. We really can trust in God and not fear. Always!
Kim Davis