Tomorrow is Sunday — and I’m grateful to start 2026 gathered with my faith family at Christ Community Church.
Hebrews 10:23-25 reminds us why we gather. We come to “hold fast the confession of our hope” — that Jesus is Lord — and be encouraged by others who have been saved by the same grace. We gather to “stir up one another to love and good works”, not as spectators but as participants in what God is doing among us. We gather often, because the Lord has given us a church family and lovingly warns us against “neglecting to meet together”. We gather to “encourage one another”, lifting weary hearts with the reminder that this broken, fallen world isn’t all there is. And every time we gather, we are being prepared for a greater gathering that is coming — shaped week by week into a people ready for the presence of the Lord — the day Revelation 7:9-10 describes when a numberless multitude stands before the throne of God, praising and glorifying the Lamb.
That’s also why we do these “Songs for Sunday” posts. They are a simple invitation to prepare — to read the Scriptures we’ll read aloud in worship, to sing or listen to the songs we’ll sing together, and to come ready to worship with full hearts and clear hope. Preparation doesn’t replace worship; in this case, it deepens tomorrow’s worship it because the preparation itself is worshiping Jesus today.
Sunday’s coming. Let’s come ready to hold fast, encourage one another, and make much of Jesus — together.
17For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 18Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 20Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
19Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! 20My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. 21But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
22The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; 23they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. 24“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.”
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.[2]
9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.[3]
Merry Christmas Adam, Sojourners!
Why Christmas Adam, you ask? Well, Adam came before Eve, right? Ba-dum-cha!
I’m somewhat sorry to start with a dad joke, but I am who I am. And even a light moment like this can remind us that Christmas meets us in ordinary, human places before leading us to eternal truths. So, with that smile (hopefully) in place, let’s turn our hearts to deeper things.
As we move toward the culmination of Advent and stand on the threshold of Christmas, we pause once more to reflect on the gifts God has given us in the coming of His Son. Over the past few weeks, we’ve traced the steady unfolding of the gospel through hope, peace, and joy. We’ve seen that our hope rests not in circumstances but in the faithful God who keeps His promises. We’ve seen that true peace was secured when Jesus entered our darkness to reconcile us to God. And we’ve seen that real joy is not manufactured by emotion or ease but springs up where God’s mercy is received and trusted. And if this season finds you carrying grief, sorrow, disappointment, or weariness, there is room for that here. The coming of Jesus doesn’t require us to pretend, perform, or put on a happy face. It invites us to come to Him honestly – needy, heavy-laden, and real – and to find that He meets us with mercy (Matthew 11:28-30, Psalm 34:18, Hebrews 4:15-16).
Now, all of those gifts converge in the love of God.
Christmas is the declaration that God’s love is neither distant nor abstract. It took on flesh (John 1:14). The incarnation is not merely the arrival of a baby in Bethlehem; it is the greatest gift ever given – the Son of God sent for sinners like us. Hope, peace, and joy all find their source and fulfillment in Him because they flow from God’s love revealed in Jesus. Without God’s love, there would be no promise kept, no peace secured, and no joy that lasts. Christmas tells us that love has come near (Hebrews 2:14-18).
In this final study in our Christ Has Come series, we’ll consider how Scripture defines that love – not as sentiment, but as saving action. We’ll briefly walk through three key passages that together give us a clear and faithful picture of the love of God revealed in Christmas: Romans 5:8, where God demonstrates His love for sinners; John 3:16-17, where God gives His Son so the world might be saved; and 1 John 4:9-10, where love is defined – not by our response to God but by God’s initiative toward us. As we do, it’s my prayer that we’ll see that Christmas proclaims this staggeringly simple and gloriously true gospel message: God loves, God gives, and God saves.
God Demonstrates His Love (Romans 5:8) …but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
This verse doesn’t merely tell us that God loves – it shows us how He loves. His love is not theoretical. It’s not conditional. It’s demonstrated, proven, and displayed throughout history through the death of Jesus (1 John 3:16).
What makes this love so staggering is when it was shown. Paul explains that Jesus didn’t die for good, righteous people or folks who had earned God’s favor. He died for sinners – ungodly people living in rebellion and enmity against God (Romans 5:6-10). Human love, at its best, may sacrifice for someone we feel is worthy, but God’s love belongs to an entirely different category. While we were still estranged, still guilty, still God’s enemies, still unable to fix or save ourselves, God acted. He moved first in love (1 John 4:19).
And it’s important to see that this wasn’t only the love of the Son for us but also the love of the Father. You see, the cross wasn’t a tragic accident or a reluctant sacrifice – it was God’s loving plan of redemption. God demonstrated His love by sending His Son to die in our place (Romans 8:32). The justice and righteousness of God required that sin be dealt with, and Romans 5:9 reminds us why the cross was necessary: “Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God.” God’s love doesn’t ignore sin or minimize judgment. Rather, love moved God to place His righteous wrath against sin upon His own Son, so that sinners like us could be forgiven, justified, and reconciled to Him.
Romans 5:8 teaches us that God’s love isn’t measured by how we feel in a given moment or how well life is going. It’s anchored in an unchanging historical reality: Jesus died for us. Christmas, then, isn’t sentimental but sacrificial. It points us to the cross, where God’s love is demonstrated fully, finally, and forever.
God Gives His Son (John 3:16-17) For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.
If Romans 5:8 shows us how God demonstrates His love, John 3:16-17 helps us understand why – and to what end. The cross doesn’t stand alone as an isolated act of love but flows out of the eternal, gracious heart of the Father. Long before nails pierced flesh, love was already moving. God loved, and so God gave.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son….” These are probably the most familiar words in all of Scripture, but they lose none of their weight or strength with repetition. They magnify this God-sized love, a love not measured by the size or goodness of the world but in the costliness of the gift He gives. Scripture is clear: God’s love for the world is astonishing not because the world was worthy, but because it was fallen, rebellious, and broken. The wonder of John 3:16 isn’t that God loved something lovable—which would make sense—but that He loved sinners and gave His Son so that they might be saved through Him. That is grace. That is mercy.
And this love isn’t vague. It’s not sentimental. God’s love takes action. He gave His Son – He sent Him into the world to take on flesh, dwell among us, and ultimately to bear the penalty for our sin. The incarnation – Christmas – is an act of love. Christmas tells us that love came near to us, and as we said before, Christmas leads us to the cross, God giving Himself so that sinners might live.
John 3:17 presses this even further because Jesus didn’t enter a morally neutral world awaiting judgment; He entered a world already condemned by sin (John 3:18, 3:36). His first coming wasn’t to add condemnation but to offer rescue (John 12:47). Love sent the Son on a mission of salvation – not ignoring sin but dealing with it fully and finally.
This helps us see the way Christmas and the cross are woven together in God’s redemptive plan. God’s love doesn’t deny judgment but provides salvation from it. The same love that sent Jesus into the world is the love that led Him to lay down His life. And the promise attached to that love is breathtakingly simple: “whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” God’s love invites trust. It calls for faith. And it offers life – real, eternal life – to all who believe in Him.
If Romans 5:8 shows us that God loved us while we were still sinners, John 3:16-17 shows us that this love has always been purposeful, redemptive, and saving. Love gives. Love sends. Love saves.
God Defines Love (1 John 4:9-10) In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
If Romans 5:8 shows us when God loved us and John 3:16-17 shows us why He loved us, 1 John 4:9-10 tells us what love truly is. Scripture doesn’t leave love to our imagination or interpretation. It defines it for us. And it does so by pointing, once again, to God’s action in sending His Son.
John tells us that God’s love was “made manifest” – made visible, made known, made unmistakable. Love didn’t remain hidden in God’s heart or vague in His intentions. It was revealed when God sent His only Son into the world so that we, who were dead in our trespasses and sins, might live through Him (Ephesians 2:1-5). Love isn’t about how we feel toward God but about what God has done for us. “In this is love,” John writes, “Not that we have loved but that God has loved us.” Love begins with God. Love moves toward sinners. Love takes the initiative.
This is where Christmas love often gets misunderstood. We tend to think of love primarily in human terms like affection, warmth, or generosity, but Scripture presses us deeper. God’s love is not only demonstrated in sending His Son – it’s defined by His purpose for sending Him: “to be the propitiation for our sins”[4]. That word matters. Propitiation means that Jesus bore the righteous wrath of God against sin, as we discussed earlier, but it also means that He fully satisfied the demands of God’s holy justice (Romans 3:25-26, Isaiah 53:5-6, 2 Corinthians 5:21). Love didn’t ignore our sin. It didn’t excuse our rebellion against God. Love dealt with sin fully and finally by placing its penalty on a sinless substitute.
This is also why no human comparison or analogy could fully capture what God has done – though it can help us feel the weight of it. As a father – as a daddy, I cannot imagine loving anyone enough to give one of my children in their place. My love for my kids outweighs any value anyone else could ever have in my eyes. And even if I could somehow bring myself to offer such a sacrifice, it wouldn’t do any good. My kiddos, like their daddy, are sinners. They couldn’t atone for anyone’s sin. They couldn’t bear God’s righteous wrath. They, like me, can’t even save themselves. We didn’t need a better example or a more inspiring human being—we needed God’s Son. We needed God to put on flesh and dwell among us, live the sinless life we are incapable of living, and die the death we deserve because of our sin. Only a sinless Savior could stand in the place of sinners (Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 3:18). Only Jesus could be the propitiation our sins require.
This is the love Christmas proclaims. God didn’t send His Son because we were lovable. He sent Him because we were lost. He didn’t wait for our love but acted in love first. And He didn’t merely show us affection – He provided atonement. Christmas tells us that love came down, took on flesh, and willingly walked toward the cross so that we might live through Him.
Wrapping Up
As this study comes to a close – and Christmas itself arrives – we’re reminded that the love we’ve been considering isn’t something to admire. It’s something to receive. Christmas isn’t only a message to be believed but a Savior to be trusted. And coming to Jesus doesn’t require you to feel “merry”, to force a smile, or to pretend the season isn’t heavy. There is room in Christ for grief, sorrow, anxiety, and whatever burdens you’re carrying (Psalm 34:18, 1 Peter 5:7). He meets us where we are – and He loves us too much to leave us as we are (Hebrews 4:15-16).
For some, this invitation is especially clear. If you find yourself among the lowly – aware of your need, burdened by guilt, weary from sin, or conscious that you can’t save yourself – Christmas holds out real hope. The love of God has come near to sinners in Jesus, near enough to take hold of. And Scripture tells us plainly how to do that: “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). It really is that simple – and that profound. Look away from yourself and toward Jesus and what He has done. Put your trust – your faith – in Him. And if you do, God’s promise stands firm: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). What better time to receive Him—and the love that’s been given?
For others, this season is a call not to come for the first time but to remember again. Many of us have been lifted by grace – saved, forgiven, reconciled to God through Christ. And yet even the redeemed can grow weary, distracted, or dulled by the noise of the season. Christmas gently calls us back to the gospel we first believed. It invites us to remember what the Lord has done and to ask Him to remind us again – day by day – of His steadfast love. The love of God in Christ that saved you is the same love that sustains you, comforts you, and carries you forward.
This is the good news Christmas proclaims. Love has come. Love has taken on flesh. Love has walked toward the cross. And love calls sinners to come, believers to remember, and all to rest in Christ – because He is love. So wherever you find yourself this Christmas, lowly or lifted, weary or rejoicing – fix your eyes once more on Jesus. The Promised King has come. And in Him, the greatest gift of love has been given.
[4]Propitiation means that Jesus bore the righteous wrath of God against sin and fully satisfied the demands of God’s holy justice (Romans 3:25–26; Isaiah 53:5–6). At the cross, God did not ignore sin or lower His standard; He dealt with sin completely by placing its penalty on His own Son. Because Jesus satisfied God’s justice, all who trust in Him are justified—declared righteous before God, not because of their works, but because Christ’s righteousness is credited to them (Romans 5:1, 5:9; 2 Corinthians 5:21). This means that God’s love and God’s justice are not in conflict at the cross. In love, God provided what His justice required. Propitiation shows us that salvation is not God choosing between love and holiness, but God expressing both perfectly in Jesus.
12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. 13 Return, O Lord! How long? Have pity on your servants! 14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil. 16 Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. 17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands![1]
Psalm 90
Greetings Sojourners!
It’s been a while since we’ve had one of these, but as I am learning, I’m glad to get to do what I get to do when I get to do it. 2025 has been a year of learning for me. I was not glad to be in this class, so to speak, back in the health struggles of June and the months of recuperation, but now, as of today, I can honestly say that I am thankful.
The reason I think about the experiences of the past six months as a class is attributed to my pastor, John Goldwater. On a particularly low evening in the hospital, I FaceTimed him to ask for prayer and receive counsel. I was supposed to be where he was, on a mission trip with Christ Community’s youth group in New Mexico; at the very least, I was just not supposed to be where I was, laid up in a hospital bed with the weight of a mysterious illness and not being able to walk or really even use my arms and hands. My spirits were low, and my attitude was bordering on poor. John gave the pastoral counsel I needed. He reminded me that while I wasn’t on the mission I had planned to be, I was still on mission – the mission God had given me. That hit hard. Then, he told me with his characteristic wit: even though I didn’t sign up for this class, make sure I learned whatever the Lord would have me learn the first time because I sure didn’t want to have to take it again.
That perspective helped me immensely. Even though whatever was wrong had all of the doctors puzzled and befuddled, God Almighty was not puzzled nor was He out of control. I was no less His in those weeks of pain, struggle, and fear. He was no less sovereign. His plan was not thwarted by medical mystery even if that plan seemed shrouded from my perspective.
Some of the things I learned can be summed up quickly:
When we read in Scripture that the Lord is our help in trouble and the true source of strength for those who are saved – those who are His, this is more than a theological truth; it is a genuine truth meant to be lived out.
Marriage is a picture of the gospel. This picture is not fully illustrated through the good and easy times. I have never been served or cared for like Candice did for me in the hospital and since. Her love shown to me is a picture of how the Church should love Christ.
I am thankful to get to do ministry, but I am not necessary. Don’t get me wrong, I know God called me to be where he wants me to be and that He has given me what I need to be equipped to do what He has called me to do. He is who is necessary. Christ Community kept right on going, the praise team did not miss a beat, my Sunday School small group kept right on studying the Word, and every single thing I was involved in prior to June kept right on going because the work of the Lord is powered by His Spirit and not contingent upon my involvement. I’m glad to be back, but it’s such a relief to be reminded my place in all of this, more importantly the Lord’s primacy.
Finally, and I am still learning this, the Lord is teaching me to number my days – which is the subject of our Bible study from Psalm 90 (specifically verse 12) today.
The Context of Psalm 90 – A Prayer of Moses, the Man of God
The attribution of this psalm makes it stand out – “A Prayer of Moses, the Man of God”. This marks him by his relationship with the Lord and helps this psalm invite us to listen in to this prayer, and understand the context being the experiences of a man who walked closely with the Lord and carrying the weight of leading God’s people. Since most Bible scholars date this psalm late in the wilderness years, this prayer hits different when this “Man of God” is leading the people at a time when the older generation who had left Egypt were dying off as a consequence of their sin. This was a period marked by God’s judgment on sin. That sets a rather somber tone.
Moses begins Psalm 90 by lifting our eyes to the eternal God who has been the “dwelling place” of His people in every generation, then and forevermore. Before the mountains were formed, before Creation, God has been God and nothing will or can change that truth. In fact, the eternal nature of God is the basis of this psalm and a powerful part of the contrast with our temporal nature. God is God always and forever. Man returns to dust, our years passing quickly and the strongest and longest lives being brief in comparison to eternity. Sometimes we talk about this as a natural part of life because that’s part of our human experience, but the context here is tied to sin and the curse given in Eden when God declared that humanity would return to the dust (Genesis 3:19). Moses had lived and led long enough to have experienced this up close and personal.
But Psalm 90 isn’t simply a reflection on humanity and time but is instead a community lament, a prayer offered by Moses on behalf of God’s people as they faced affliction and death, asking God to show compassion, turn from His anger, and renew their joy. Psalm 90 traces a pattern: God’s eternal nature (vv. 1-2), man’s mortality (vv. 3-6), God’s righteous anger toward sin (vv. 7-12), and a plea for God to bless His people with steadfast love, purpose, and lasting fruit (vv. 13-17). And woven into the prayer is the reality of time – days, years, generations – because Moses wants the people to recognize that God’s mercy and guidance gives their lives enduring value.
This context makes v. 12 the hinge on which the whole psalm turns: “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” This isn’t about counting birthdays or marking the passage of time. Moses here is asking God to help us weigh our days – to see how few they are, how quickly they pass, and how desperately we need God to guide us if we want to use the time we are given well. This is how a lament can turn to hope by vv. 13-17 when Moses asks God to “return” to His people with compassion, to satisfy them each morning with His unfailing love, to replace their long years of affliction with joy, and to let their work matter and endure – that the Lord will establish their work in light of His eternal purposes.
This is the world Psalm 90 speaks into – a world where our days are short, our strength is limited, and our lives are fragile but God Himself is eternal, faithful, compassionate, and near. To number our days is not morbid but wise. It’s a call to live intentionally following Christ, seeking His mercy, and resting in Him, the God who has been His people’s dwelling place in every generation.
Learning to Number My Days
As I sat with Psalm 90 in these months of recovery, Moses’s prayer didn’t feel like some poetry from an ancient text but the vocabulary Jesus was teaching me in my own heart. The context of the psalm helped me see something beautiful. Moses was leading a people who were painfully aware that life was short, that sin was serious, and that every day they were given was God’s mercy. That’s heavy! Yet in that heaviness, Moses didn’t get stuck in lament but asked God to teach His people how to live wisely, joyfully, and purposefully in the time they’ve been given.
That’s where this really hit me.
Yes, I felt sorry for myself. Yes, I was scared. Rehab was hard. Learning how to walk again was as scary as it was difficult. Every step I took was pain for months. I thought I nothing would ever return to normal. Hospital bills and insurance conversations brought anxiety. Having everyone in my life treat me like a box that says “Fragile! Handle with care!” was frustrating at times, and knowing that I needed their help was a constant weight of guilt and, if I’m honest, shame at times. But I found that with every new step, every new growth, every little gain brought thankfulness – thankfulness to God for carrying me through and sustaining.
When you’ve experienced the reality that life is fragile and our bodies fail us, you begin to understand that every day is a gift. Numbering my days isn’t about counting how many I’ve accumulated over the decades but asking God to shape all the ones He chooses to give me as He wills and works for His glory and my good!
That brings me to the final part of Moses’s prayer in Psalm 90. After asking the Lord to teach them to number their days, he asks God for His compassion, steadfast love, joy, and favor to fill those days (vv. 13-17). Wisdom isn’t just knowing intellectually that life is short; wisdom is knowing that a short life held by God is a life full of meaning.
So, when I ask the Lord to teach me to number my days, I’m really asking Him to do what He promised in those last verses of Psalm 90 – to satisfy me with His steadfast love every morning, to give joy that outlasts and outshines every affliction, and to establish the work of my hands – the work He has called me to – so that nothing done for His glory is wasted. That kind of wisdom doesn’t lead to despair; it leads to gratitude. I wish I could say that I have this wisdom locked down. I don’t. But my heart is moved to give thanks to my God – not for perfect circumstances but for His faithfulness carrying me through this season of life, and thanking Him for the gift of today.
Wrapping Up
As I look back on this year, I can testify that Jesus is faithful. He’s been teaching me to number my days – not by making me afraid of losing them but by making me grateful for each one He gives. Today, Thanksgiving Day, I am thankful to the God who has been and is my refuge. I’m thankful for Candice who has loved me with Christ-like love. I’m thankful for Keri and Xander reminding me daily that God’s kindness is real. I’m thankful for my family serving me and doing what I couldn’t (and can’t) because they love me with no thought to whether it’s deserved – just giving. I’m thankful for a faith family at Christ Community (and the Foundry Church) who carried on faithfully because the work belongs to the Lord, not me. And I’m thankful for the simple grace of waking up this morning with enough strength provided to live today for the glory of God.
Psalm 90:14 says, “Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.” That’s my prayer – not to have more and more days but to have days filled with the steadfast love of the Lord. And for as many days as He chooses to give, I want to live in gratitude to Him, with purpose, and with the wisdom that comes from knowing all my days are in His hands.
So, today, I’m giving thanks – not merely because it’s Thanksgiving, not for the comfort of recovery – but for the God who walks with me through every valley, sustains me in all my weakness, and teaches me to live the life He’s given. He’s my dwelling place. How about you?
Every week at Christ Community Church, we gather and lift our voices in worship of Jesus by reading Scripture together and singing to and about Him. The Scriptures we are reading this week remind us of who God is and what He has done. Psalm 103:8-13 is one of the most beautiful descriptions of the LORD’s mercy in the Bible, and when we look at it alongside the picture of redemption that is found in Christ in Colossians 1:13-14, it calls us to worship Him with grateful hearts.
Take a second and look at these passages and catch a glimpse of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ: — Psalm 103:8 — “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” This echoes how God introduced Himself in Exodus 34:6, the foundational confession of His character. He is not quick to flare up in wrath but abounds in His deep covenant love for His people. — Psalm 103:9 — “He will not always chide, nor will He keep His anger forever.” Like Psalm 30:5 and Micah 7:18, this shows that while God’s anger against sin is real, His mercy outlasts His anger for those who belong to Him. His justice is perfect but not greater than His grace. — Psalm 103:10 — “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.” If God gave us exactly what our sin deserved, none could stand (Ezra 9:13, Romans 6:23), but He shows mercy in judgment, forgiving sin, iniquity, and transgressions just as He promised in Exodus 34:7. — Psalm 103:11 — “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him….” The psalmist piles up comparisons here to show the depth and height of God’s kindness, as abundantly immeasurable as the heavens, decisively removing our sin, and enduring like a father’s compassion toward his children. God’s love is higher than we can measure and deeper than we can comprehend (Psalm 36:5). — Psalm 103:12 — “…as far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us.” East and west never meet. That’s how completely God forgives in Christ — our sins are gone, removed to never return (Micah 7:18-20, 2 Corinthians 5:21). — Psalm 103:13 — “As a father shows compassion to His children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear Him.” Unlike the gods of the nations who are apathetic and hostile, the LORD relates to His people as a true Father — compassionate, tender, and faithful. Jesus Himself taught us that we can approach God in this way (Matthew 6:9, Mark 14:36).
And how has this mercy been most clearly revealed to us? In Jesus! — Colossians 1:13-14 — He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. — Just as God rescued Israel from Egypt (Exodus 6:6, 14:30), He has rescued us from a greater slavery: the domain of darkness, the power of Satan and sin (Acts 26:18, Ephesians 5:8). Through JESUS, we have been drawn out of the shadows and placed into the Kingdom of His beloved Son. That’s redemption — the ransom paid through His blood, freeing us from bondage to sin and granting us forgiveness once and for all (Ephesians 1:7, 1 Peter 1:18-19).
This is the gospel. The mercy described in Psalm 103 is fulfilled in Jesus. Our sin is removed. Our debt is cancelled. And we are safely in Him.
That’s why tomorrow we can lift our voices and read these Scriptures. It’s why we can lift our voices to our holy, holy, holy God and sing that His mercy is more and we have hope in Christ alone. Every verse and lyric will remind us of who God is and what He has done for us in Jesus. Every verse preached will point us to Him and give opportunity to see Him more clearly.
So come on out and gather with us tomorrow. Come with gratitude, come with hope, come ready to worship the God who shows compassion like a Father and saves by the blood of His Son.
8The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 He will not always chide, nor will He keep His anger forever. 10He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 11For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him; 12as far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us. 13As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear Him.
13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Actually, excited is probably an understatement. I’m overjoyed, ecstatic, elated, exhilarated, thrilled, rejoicing, and grateful beyond words to be HOME after 18 days and 19 hours in the hospital and rehab. It has been so sweet to be with Candi and the kiddos and things that feel…normal. Now, I am looking forward to being with my faith family at Christ Community on Sunday.
I find myself a bit overwhelmed as I type this out because there is so much that I want to say. It was the same with praying about and picking the Scripture and music for Sunday; everything seemed right and good and appropriate. Thankfully, there’s just nothing better to sing about than Jesus’s finished work on the cross (Hebrews 10:12), His empty tomb (Luke 24:6-7), and His imminent return (Revelation 22:12, Acts 1:11) — about the living hope we have in Jesus (1 Peter 1:3)!
Concerning that living hope, there is a verse that has been on my heart and mind since I have been sick. It’s the verse I share with people who are going through trials to point them to Jesus, so as I preached to myself, it’s the verse I brought to mind to meditate on and remember. When I got to preach in the rehab unit last Sunday, it’s the verse that I shared with my fellow rehabbers to point them to Jesus. That verse is Nahum 1:7.
The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows those who take refuge in Him.
“The LORD is good….” That’s who He is, not a mere adjective to describe His actions or tendencies. He cares for His people (1 Peter 5:7). He blesses those who trust in Him (Jeremiah 17:7). He has steadfast love toward His people (Psalm 103:11, Lamentations 3:22-23) and does good to them (Romans 8:28).
“The LORD [is] a stronghold in the day of trouble….” He is a fortress (Psalm 18:2). He is the protector of His people (Psalm 91:1-2). A fortress is a walled structure designed to protect. The specific type the original language references here is a like a mountain stronghold — not walls built out of bricks or blocks by men but the natural relentless strength God built into the mountains when He created them.
In the day of trouble, we can turn to the Lord and know that He’s got us and we are safe (Psalm 46:1). But here’s how strong our God is: He’s strong enough and big enough to keep us in the palm of His hand (John 10:28-29). And even though He’s so strong that no one could ever pluck us from the palm of His hands, He’s gentle and caring enough that by those same mighty hands, He will lift us up because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:6-7, Isaiah 40:11).
“The LORD…knows those who take refuge in Him.” Now, this is beautiful. If you were to be somewhere in Europe or somewhere where the remains (and sometimes ruins) of castles and fortresses exist, those fortresses would not know if you ran into them for refuge. They aren’t alive. And, as I said, some of them are ruins, meaning their ability to provide fortitude has an expiration date. The Lord is different. Those who put their faith and trust in Him are known by Him (2 Timothy 2:19, John 10:14). This is more than knowing about us or knowing who we are; this is intimate knowledge (Psalm 139:1-4). This is deep knowledge of who a person is. Our God is so good that He not only provides refuge but that the refuge provided in our times of deepest trouble comes with Him knowing who we are and comforting us by His very presence and salvation (Psalm 46:1, Psalm 34:18, Zephaniah 3:17, Isaiah 12:2).
This verse hit hard when we had church in the rehab last Sunday. Some were afraid that they’d never regain movement in their body because of a stroke. Some that their broken back might not heal fully or that another injury might mean paralysis. Others were there as caretakers and feeling inadequate about their ability to comfort their loved one while also feeling totally out of control and incapable to do anything to help. But it was good to know that there is a God who saves (Isaiah 45:21, Titus 3:4-6). There is a God who loved them enough to send His Son to die on their behalf (John 3:16, Romans 5:8) and raise from the dead to offer them new life in Him (Romans 6:4-5, 2 Corinthians 5:17).
It was good news to know that if God can save our souls, healing our bodies is small potatoes (Psalm 103:1-5).
It was good news to know that God never leaves us or forsakes us (Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5) even when we find ourselves more alone than ever before in our lives — that we can take refuge in Him right where we are and know that He knows us, our needs, and how to give us the strength and grace we need (Matthew 6:8, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Isaiah 40:29-31).
And it’s good news for all of us as well. If you have put your trust in God — confessed Jesus as Lord and believed God raised Him from the dead and are saved (Romans 10:9-10), He knows you and cares for you, too (John 10:14, 1 Peter 5:7).
I know I’ve said it at least a dozen times, but y’all, that’s good news! And it’s that good news — the good news of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ that we’re singing, reading, and preaching about Sunday.
So if you’re weary, hurting, searching, or could just use some good news — come. Not just to attend a church service, but to come to Jesus. He is the refuge we come to and the risen King who is our living hope. We’ll gather to worship Him, read and sing of His cross and resurrection, and have John remind us from God’s Word the good news — the gospel — of Jesus.
13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
📖 Revelation 3:7–13We’re back!After a few months off, The King is Coming returns in 2026 with one of the most encouraging letters in Revelation — Jesus’s message to the faithful church in Philadelphia. In a world filled with opposition and weakness, Jesus opens a door no one can shut.In this episode, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison explore:✔️ Jesus’s identity as the Holy One, the True One — God Himself✔️ What the “key of David” means and how Jesus alone opens and shuts✔️ The debated phrase “I will keep you from the hour of trial” — and how to read it biblically✔️ Why “little power” doesn’t disqualify faithfulness✔️ How being kept through the trial glorifies Christ’s strength in us✔️ What it means to be a pillar in God’s presence foreverThis church had no rebuke — only encouragement. And Jesus’s call still stands today: “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (Revelation 3:11, ESV)🔗 Missed earlier episodes in the series? You can click here to catch up and listen from the beginning.✍️ If you’d like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
I’m home from the hospital after several weeks (18 days and 19 hours) and so glad and thankful!
Being with Candice, Keri, and Xander again has been absolutely wonderful. It’s not just about being back at our house; it’s about being with them. They are my home. Sharing meals, watching movies, hearing them laugh—just being with them—reminds me of what I’m working toward in recovery. I don’t want them to have to be my babysitters and caretakers; I’m ready to get back to being husband, daddy, son, brother, Uncle Keith – full and whole.
And this past Sunday, I got to be back with my Christ Community family. What a gift. I was overwhelmed—in the best way possible. There were tears, but they were tears of joy. So many encouraged me with their words, their hugs, and especially their voices. When I was too overcome to sing during “Nothing Without You,” I heard my sisters Nikki and Shonna lifting their voices and carrying the song—and carrying me with it. And when our church gathered around to pray for me and others longing for healing, James 5:13–15 came to life. John anointed me with oil, the church prayed, and I was deeply moved by the tangible presence of God’s people doing what His Word calls us to do.
If you haven’t already, I’d encourage you to look back at the two previous writings I shared from the hospital. They were part of my processing in real time, and I hope they encourage you:
Now that I’m home and healing (and awaiting more doctor appointments), I want to walk through the passage that held me through the hardest nights. Romans 5:1–5 has been like an anchor for me. These verses walk us through what it means to have peace with God, to stand in grace, and to find real, lasting hope—even when life hurts. This passage has met me where I’ve been—sometimes flat on my back, sometimes inching forward with shaky steps, but always needing the kind of hope that doesn’t put us to shame. It’s not theoretical to me anymore—it’s lived truth. And I want to walk through it with you, verse by verse, to see again what I’ve been reminded of: that Jesus is our peace, Jesus gives us access to grace, Jesus brings joy even in our suffering, and Jesus is our unshakable hope.
Jesus is Our Peace (v. 1)
Verse 1 starts with the word “Therefore”, signaling that this is building on what came before in Romans 3-4. Paul had previously shown that no one is justified — made right with God — by good works or keeping the Law but only by faith in Jesus (Romans 3:28, 4:5). Romans 5:1 shows the result of being justified and saved by grace through faith in Jesus: peace with God.
This isn’t merely some inner calm or warm fuzzy feeling. It’s not circumstantial peace. This is peace that “surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7) — a settled reality that, for those who are saved, the war we waged against God in our sin is over. We once lived as enemies of God (Romans 5:10), alienated and hostile in mind (Colossians 1:21). But now, through Christ, the conflict is resolved in Him. There is no more wrath for those who are in Christ (Romans 5:9). The gavel has fallen. The verdict is in. And the Judge is also the Savior who made peace by the blood of His cross (Colossians 1:20).
The peace we see here in v. 1 is peace through our Lord Jesus Christ. It doesn’t come through human effort, morality, or religion. It is through a Person — Jesus — who took our punishment upon Himself (Isaiah 53:5), died in our place (Romans 4:25), and rose again to give us life and right standing before God (Romans 4:24-25).
Coming home from the hospital reminded me how vital this peace truly is. While my body is still healing and I’m learning new limits and routines, I have peace that’s not dependent on my strength or stability—peace that holds even when I feel weak or uncertain. When you’re going through trials, peace with God means everything. This peace has sustained me through days I couldn’t lift my arms or stand without help, through nights of tears and questions. But it never left. It never failed. No, He never left or failed. This is not pointing to my circumstances but a reality that extends to all of the trials of this life. This peace with God means your soul is safe no matter the circumstances affecting your body or earthly life. Jesus has made a way for us to come to the Father, not out of fear, but as beloved children (John 14:6, Romans 8:15). We get the peace that a child feels when they, terrified in the middle of the night, run and are embraced in the arms of their parents. Knowing Jesus has made a way for us to run to the Father is about the truest idea of peace there is.
Jesus Gives Us Access to Grace (v. 2a)
Paul builds on the peace we now have with God by saying that through Jesus, we have access to grace — and not just a momentary taste, but a continual standing in it. This is the grace of God that justifies us (Romans 3:24), the grace of God that saves (Ephesians 2:8), and the grace of God that sustains us (2 Corinthians 12:10).
It’s grace, so it’s not something we’ve earned, and it’s not something we could ever keep on our own. This grace is a place we stand because Jesus holds us there.
That word “access” in v. 2 is rich in meaning. It describes being brought into the presence of royalty by someone with the right to do so. That’s what Jesus has done for us. He doesn’t just bring us peace with God — He brings us into the throne room of grace (Hebrews 4:16). And because of Him, we don’t stand in fear or shame but in favor, the favor Jesus earned and deserves, welcomed and secure in relationship with God (Romans 5:1-2, Ephesians 1:6, Hebrews 4:16).
I think about this truth often now that I’m home and trying to rebuild strength. There were weeks I couldn’t physically stand—I had to be lifted, guided, even fed. Yet even then, I never stopped standing in grace. Not once. Not when I was flat on my back, not when I was wheeled down hallways to therapy, not when I cried out to God in pain and weakness. His grace held me. His grace still holds me.
This is where the theology meets real life—especially when you’re walking through suffering. Grace is not a place we earn; it’s what we receive because of Jesus – because of what He earned. My standing in grace isn’t special or unique to me; everyone who has been saved by Jesus is still standing in His grace (2 Corinthians 12:9-10, 1 Peter 5:10, Romans 8:18). This is part of the beauty of being in Christ. If you are in Christ, your position with God is not fragile. It’s not based on your performance or dependent on your condition. Jesus has secured it and sustains it by His grace (John 10:28-29, Philippians 1:6, Romans 8:38-39).
Jesus Brings Joy Even in Our Suffering (vv. 2b-4)
This section of Romans 5:1-5 is where people get caught up because Paul says something pretty shocking: not only do we rejoice in our hope — we rejoice in our sufferings.
Yup, read that again. We are supposed to rejoice in our hope. But we are also supposed to rejoice in our sufferings.
If you think that sounds strange, and can even be offensive if taken out of the context of Romans 5 (which is something we need to be especially careful with here). Paul denying the reality of pain. Paul knew pain deeply. He knew beatings, imprisonment, sickness, shipwrecks, rejection, and weakness (2 Corinthians 11:24–28). What the Spirit through Paul is doing here is showing us that, in Christ, even our pain has a purpose. We rejoice in our sufferings not because it feels good but because we know what God can and is doing through it.
Let’s break it down.
First, we rejoice in the “hope of the glory of God”. This is the secure promise that one day we will see Jesus face-to-face and be fully transformed into His likeness (1 John 3:2, Colossians 3:4). That’s not a vague wish — it’s a guaranteed future secured by the finished work of Jesus. It gives us eternal perspective and lifts our heads to look forward beyond our present troubles (2 Corinthians 4:17-18, Romans 8:18).
Paul goes further. He says we can also rejoice now, in the middle of our trials. Why? Because suffering shapes us:
“suffering produces endurance” — the Spirit works in us to give the strength to persevere, holding us when things are hard
“endurance produces character” — a tested, refined faith that isn’t superficial but rooted in Christ and who He is making us to be
“character produces hope” — again, a hope not based on circumstances or fickle, earthly, hypothetical hope but built on who Jesus is, what He’s done, and all He’s promised
Over the last few weeks in the hospital, I’ve seen this unfold in ways I couldn’t have expected. Lying in a hospital bed with no ability to move, no answers, and nothing but time and pain forced me to lean into Jesus like never before. I found that suffering is a classroom—not one I signed up for, but one in which the Spirit was a very present teacher. He reminded me that I wasn’t alone (Psalm 139:7–10, Isaiah 41:10, Matthew 28:20), that He had not abandoned me, and that He was working something in me I could never have built on my own (Romans 8:28, James 1:2–4). He’s shown me how He gives strength when I am beyond weak (2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Isaiah 40:29-31), producing something in me I couldn’t manufacture on my own (Romans 5:3-5).
Only a fool would revel in the difficulties or try to enjoy the pain and suffering. No, this is rejoicing in the loving hands of God that lift us up out of the mire and difficulty (Psalm 40:1-3, 1 Peter 5:6-7) and hold us safe and secure in Him (John 10:28-29, Romans 8:38-39). It is rejoicing in knowing that we can look to the horizon and see the beauty of eternity with Jesus (Revelation 21:3-4), knowing that every speedbump and tribulation is something that can draw us closer to Jesus and make us more like Him (2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Romans 8:17-18, 29). Let me be clear: this isn’t the result of grit—it’s the fruit of grace. Joy in suffering is not natural, but it is supernatural. It’s a gift from God to His people who are held fast by Jesus.
Jesus is Our Unshakable Hope (v. 5)
After walking us through the path of suffering, endurance, and character, Paul arrives at the bold and beautiful conclusion of that paragraph: hope does not put us to shame.
In a world of letdowns, empty promises, and fragile dreams, that’s a stunning calm. But Paul isn’t talking about generic, hypothetical optimism. He’s talking about Jesus — and He’s unshakable.
Why doesn’t this hope disappoint? Because it’s grounded in the love of God, not in the shifting sand of circumstances. Paul says that God’s love has been poured into our hearts. That verb there translated “poured” isn’t a trickle — it’s a flood. Through the Holy Spirit, given to every believer, God pours out His love — not just toward us, but into us. The very presence of God’s Spirit is assurance that we belong to Him (Ephesians 1:13-14), and that His love for us is not distant but deeply personal and present. His Spirit is inside those He saves – not some concept or ethereal force but a Person, God within us.
In Jesus, you’re not holding onto hope, white knuckling it and hoping everything might work out okay. In Christ, hope is holding onto you (Hebrews 6:19-20), secured by the Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14) and sealed in the love of God (Romans 8:38-39). When your strength fails, He doesn’t (Isaiah 40:28-31). When your feelings falter, His love doesn’t (Lamentations 3:22-23, 2 Timothy 2:13). Even when you don’t feel hopeful, you can trust that the Spirit is at work in you, reminding you who you are and Whose you are (Romans 8:16, Galatians 4:6).
I’ve needed that reminder every day this month. There were moments when I wondered what the future held.
I was reminded of David Miller who suffered from muscular atrophy from his teenage years and lost the use of every muscle in his body until he was bound in a wheelchair. I think of his testimony about the aftermath of his son being paralyzed in a wreck. He told me that he sat by his son’s hospital bed — in his own wheelchair, a wheelchair identical to the one his son would have to use — and sang the hymns of the faith, quoted Scripture over his son (as he couldn’t hold a Bible), and thanked God for giving him decades to live in a wheelchair like that so that he could help his son.
A month in the hospital can’t compare to lives like theirs. Yet God showed me that, if He could handle their trials and give them endurance, character, and hope, He can handle any and every trial that His children will go through. God’s goodness, protection, and care aren’t limited to Spurgeon or Miller, though; think of all the people He carried through trials in the Bible.
Job was carried through Satan attacking his family, health, and sanity (Job 1–2).
Joseph was carried through betrayal, slavery, and prison to save his family and many others (Genesis 37, 39–50).
Moses was carried through forty years in the wilderness with a complaining people (Exodus 3–Numbers 20).
Hannah was carried through years of barrenness and deep grief (1 Samuel 1–2).
David was carried through hiding in caves and fleeing for his life before becoming king (1 Samuel 18–31).
Elijah was carried through exhaustion, fear, and depression under a broom tree (1 Kings 19).
Jeremiah was carried through persecution and tears while faithfully proclaiming God’s Word (Jeremiah 20, Lamentations 3).
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (a.k.a. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) were carried through the fiery furnace and came out without even smelling like smoke (Daniel 3).
Daniel was carried through the lion’s den with unshakable faith, not receiving so much as a nibble from hungry lions (Daniel 6).
Mary was carried through scandal, fear, and wonder as she bore the Son of God (Luke 1–2).
Peter was carried through the shame of denying his Savior and restored by Jesus Himself (Luke 22:54–62, John 21:15–19).
Paul was carried through imprisonments, beatings, and shipwrecks for the sake of the gospel (2 Corinthians 11:24–28, Acts 27).
Our God is not just the God of our mountaintop faith—He’s the God who meets us in the valley, walks with us through the fire, and floods our hearts with His love even when we feel empty. Doubts creep in. Trials come and go and sometimes never go away on earth, but God keeps pouring out His love. He does it because He is good and He is God and He is faithful. His hope doesn’t put us to shame.
Wrapping Up
Romans 5:1-5 isn’t a feel-better-formula or some kind of positive thinking strategy — it’s a gospel-soaked promise from the living God. It is real peace, real grace, real joy, real hope—and every bit of it comes through Jesus.
If you’re reading this and you’ve never trusted in Jesus for salvation—if you don’t know what it’s like to have peace with God or hope that holds firm even when life falls apart—hear this clearly: you don’t have to stay where you are. Jesus invites you to come to Him. His Word says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).
This isn’t about fixing yourself or cleaning yourself up first — it’s about trusting the One who already paid the price to redeem you. The Bible promises that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). That invitation is for you.
Come to Jesus. Lay down your burdens. Trust in His finished work on the cross. Let Him pour His love into your heart by His Spirit and anchor your life in a hope that never puts you to shame.
And if you already belong to Jesus, but you find yourself weary or hurting, don’t forget what the Holy Spirit has taught you in Romans 5.
You have peace with God — He’s not against you.
You stand in grace — you are held and sustained by him.
Your suffering is not pointless — He is producing endurance, character, and a hope that is alive because He is alive.
You may feel weak (or very well be weak), but the Spirit of God lives in you.
Your circumstances may shift, but Jesus never will.
So, hold on, and more than that — let hope, let Jesus hold you. You are seen. You are loved. And in Christ, you are not alone and never forsaken (Hebrews 13:5, Romans 8:38–39).
Thank you for reading. While I hope my story and testimony will help others who are struggling or going through trials, I know that the Word of God offers better and lasting hope — for “faith comes from hearing and hearing from the Word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). If you are struggling or going through trying times, look at the many, many cross-references; click on them and let God’s Word encourage and comfort you. And may you encounter the God of the Bible, our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, in your time of need.
23 During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.
This is the passage we closed with in the adult Bible study at Christ Community last Sunday, and the beauty of it has captivated me. For context and to understand the magnitude of these verses, we’ve got to get the lay of the land in Exodus 1-2.
Genesis ends with all of Israel’s family (the person Israel, aka Jacob) in Egypt after God providentially took the evil done to Joseph by his brothers and put him in a position to “preserve life” (Genesis 45:5, cf. Genesis 50:20). God used Joseph and gave him the ability to interpret dreams, which let Egypt enjoy plenty when the world around them faced famine (Genesis 47:13-26). Joseph was second only to Pharaoh, and God preserved Israel (the Hebrews/people group), moving them to the land of Goshen in Egypt (Genesis 47:27).
Now, fast forward many generations there in Egypt and “there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph” (Exodus 1:8). This king found himself surrounded by God’s people who He had providentially made to be “fruitful” and “increased greatly”, growing “exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them” (Exodus 1:7, cf. Genesis 1:28). This king was worried about the position this great people group could put him in and was afraid of losing his power, so he decided to “set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens” (Exodus 1:11). He made God’s people His slaves, but “the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad” (Exodus 1:12). Even in the midst of turmoil and trial, God was keeping His promise to Abraham that He would make his offspring number like the stars of the heavens (Genesis 15:5) and the sand on the seashore (Genesis 22:17), and bless all the nations of the earth through his offspring (Genesis 18:18, 22:18, cf. Galatians 3:8). In the midst of terrible oppression, He who promised was faithful (Hebrews 10:23, cf. Lamentations 3:22-23).
The trouble in Egypt rose to from oppression to murder and semi-genocide as Pharaoh commanded that baby Hebrew boys be cast into the Nile (Exodus 1:22). The bulk of Exodus 2 is God providentially saving Moses from death in the Nile, using that same river to float him to a life where he would be adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter (Exodus 2:1-10).
It’s an understatement to say that the Israelites were experiencing terrible things. Atrocities. Evil. Wickedness.
Sometimes, we find ourselves in times of trials and troubles when it seems like no relief is coming and that no one sees or notices. We can easily feel isolated and alone. These are the times when people begin to ask the question whether or not God cares or even knows — asking, why won’t He do something?(Psalm 10:1, Habakkuk 1:2-3)
This was surely how Israel felt by the end of Exodus 2. They “groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help” (Exodus 2:23). Just as the load of their taskmasters burdened them, they were burdened with grief and despair. Where was the God who brought them from a land of famine to the land of plenty? Why bring them there if only to leave them and forsake them? But God never leaves nor forsakes His people (Joshua 1:5, Hebrews 13:5, 2 Corinthians 4:9, Deuteronomy 31:6).
Look at what God had for Israel (and has for us) in Exodus 2:23-25.
“Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.” (v. 23b)
This wasn’t a formal prayer or some polished religious petition. It was a groan (v. 24) — a raw cry made out of desperation. Yet it came up to God. That is grace (Romans 8:26-27).
Their pain wasn’t lost in transmission or ignored by God. He’s not aloof or distant when His people suffer (Psalm 139:1-2, Exodus 3:7). Look at how David puts it in Psalm 34:17-18:
“When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
The cries of God’s people — His children — always find His ear, even when our words run out and all we have left is a groan (Romans 8:26). We need to know that our cries don’t disappear into silence — they rise to God (1 Peter 3:12, Isaiah 65:24, Psalm 55:17).
“And God heard their groaning….” (v. 24a)
Let me say it again: God hears. He heard them, and He can hear you.
When the Israelites groaned under the weight of slavery, it didn’t go unnoticed. Their pain was not wasted. God isn’t like Pharaoh who heard and ignored. He is a Father who bends low to listen (Psalm 116:1-2, Isaiah 64:4). This should encourage us in prayer because God is never too busy, too disinterested, or too far away (Psalm 145:18, Jeremiah 33:3). He hears the whisper of the wounded and the shout of the desperate (Psalm 10:17).
“…and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.” (v. 24b)
When it says “remembered” here, it does not mean that God is recalling something He had momentarily forgotten or lost track of. It means God was about to act (Exodus 6:5-6).
To “remember” in the biblical sense here is covenant language. It means God is faithful to what He has promised (Hebrews 10:23). Even after generations of silence, God had not abandoned His people or His Word. He made a covenant to bless them and bring them to the land He had promised (Genesis 15:18-21, Exodus 3:6-8), and He was preparing to fulfill it.
When we feel forgotten, we can rest in this:
“God is not man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not fulfill it?” (Numbers 23:19)
God made promises to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. He remembers. He fulfills His promises (Psalm 105:8-10, Luke 1:72-73). Sometimes, we can almost be afraid to hope (maybe I’m speaking from where I am now), but God’s memory is perfect and His promises are sure.
“God saw the people of Israel — and God knew.” (v. 25)
These are some of the most tender words of all. God saw. He didn’t just hear — He saw their suffering, saw them (Genesis 16:13, Psalm 33:13-15). And God knew. He knew their pain, their burdens, their brokenness. This is the kind of knowing that moves the heart of God toward His people. It’s intimate. It’s personal. It’s the same kind of knowing we see in Jesus, who looked at the crowds and had compassion on them (Matthew 9:36, Mark 6:34).
You are not invisible to God. Wait, I need to say that to myself: I am not invisible to God. He sees. He knows. And because of Jesus — our Savior who bore our griefs and carried our sorrows (Isaiah 53:4) — we can be sure that He enters into our suffering with us (Hebrews 4:15).
Exodus 2:23-25 shows us something precious about the heart of God. The Israelites were enslaved, burdened, and groaning under cruel oppression, yet God was not distant. He heard them. He remembered His covenant with them. He saw them. And He knew them.
The ultimate fulfillment of that covenant — the promise to bless all nations through Abraham’s offspring — was Jesus (Galatians 3:16, Genesis 22:18)! He is the same God — the covenant-keeping God who never changes (Hebrews 13:8, Malachi 3:6) — who still hears, still sees, and still knows today.
These past three weeks have been some of the hardest in my life. Pain, immobility, weakness, and unknowns have left me stripped of my independence and strength. I have needed help to do the most basic of things. But what I’ve learned — or perhaps what I’ve been lovingly reminded — is that though I have limits, God does not. Though I am weak, He is strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). Though I have groaned, He has heard. Though I have wrestled in the dark, He has seen. And when I’ve felt confused, broken, lost, or even forgotten by doctors and insurance companies these last three days, He has known — not just facts about my situation, but He knows me because I am His (Nahum 1:7, John 10:14).
This is not unique to me. That’s who God is. He invites the weary and the burdened to come — to to a system or religion but to Him:
[Jesus said] “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
God isn’t merely aware of your pain — He cares (1 Peter 5:6-7, Psalm 55:22). He is not powerless to act — He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take on your greatest burden: sin and death. On the cross, Jesus bore our sins and carried our sorrows (Isaiah 53:4). He died to pay for our sins, and He rose again to offer us life — real, eternal, abundant life (John 10:10, Romans 6:4). If God could hear the groans of Israel in Egypt and set in motion their deliverance through Moses, how much more should we see His heart in the Deliverer He sent us — Jesus.
So, what do you do when you find yourself groaning, crying out, and feeling forgotten?
You call upon the name of the Lord:
“For everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)
Salvation isn’t about cleaning yourself up or fixing your own problems. It’s about trusting the One who can save despite your need of cleansing and sin. The Bible says:
“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believer in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
This isn’t salvation from a mere problem or seeking to be lifted out of a trial. This is taking us and bringing us from dead in sin to alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:1-5). This is taking us from lost to found (Luke 15:24). This is taking us from the darkness and bringing us into His light (1 Peter 2:9, Colossians 1:13-14). If God can do that, what is a little trial or sickness or tribulation (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)?
So, if you’re weary — if you’re burdened — if you’re groaning under the weight of suffering — come to Jesus. He sees, hears, knows, and saves.
And for those who are already in Christ, let this be a fresh reminder: our God is not absent in affliction. He is near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). His Spirit intercedes with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26). He will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). And one day, He will wipe every tear from your eyes and swallow up death, pain, and sorrow forever (Revelation 21:4, Isaiah 25:8).
As I write this, I am on my seventh day of my current hospital stay. This hospitalization — or even the illness really — is not the subject of my reflections but merely a backdrop. However, I will give enough details for clarity and hopefully none for complaint.
Many of you most likely do not know that I am in the hospital, and that is because I don’t care for that sort of attention. Outside of the Christ Community prayer group and a few personal messages, I have not shared much. Ultimately, this is pride — not trying to hide things necessarily, but some difficulties are hard to share even when you should (2 Corinthians 12:9). So I’m sharing now.
Two weeks ago (May 29), I woke up with what I thought to be gout flare ups in both feet. This was odd as gout typically manifests in just one, isolated joint. I already knew that I am an atypical sort of guy, so I just was going to roll with the weird. Within an hour, both feet were fully swollen up to the ankle. By lunch, my left wrist and the little finger joint on the right hand had joined in with swelling and pain.
The next morning (May 30) I awoke to walking being nearly impossible because of excruciating pain in both feet. I needed assistance eating because the pain in both hands was nearly as bad. I still managed to walk to the bathroom a few times. Little did I know I would only walk one more time the following day.
The next Monday (June 2), Candice took me to an orthopedic doctor in Oxford. They performed x-rays and examinations that revealed my feet were “full of arthritis”, meaning there was no space in my foot not taken up by inflammation which explained why walking or even standing, and the doctor scheduled a wide array of labs to be run and started me on a steroid pack. The following day (June 3), Kevin took me to Oxford to get the labs run. And the wait began.
Long story short, steroids brought little relief and the lab results were largely inconclusive except to say that wide spread inflammation was occurring in my body. By the end of the week (June 6), the total joints inflamed and in pain expanded to both knees, the right hip, and eventually both shoulders. We went to the hospital that night and ended up staying (and are still here).
Ultimately, there is no official diagnosis, but what is known is:
There was gout involved.
Even though there initially was thought to be some sort of infection, none was found.
My body had an autoimmune response and was fighting against itself causing the wide spread inflammation to all the joints.
God is still seated on His throne, still loves me, still cares for me, can heal me if He so chooses, and — for whatever reason — has me where I need to be even if it’s not where I want to be (Romans 8:28, 2 Corinthians 4:16-17).
The reason I am writing this is because in the midst of the worst two weeks of my life, I have consistently seen and experienced the goodness of God on display (Psalm 27:13) and want to share that. So, with no further ado, let me share with you about the goodness of God.
Reflection #1 — An Excellent Wife I Have Found
10 An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. 11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. 12 She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.
Proverbs 31:10-12
So far (and for the rest of this), Candice is typing instead of me. I have gained about 95% usage of my left arm and hand back and only about 75% of my right arm and hand (which also has an IV in a less-than-helpful position). This is the first collaboration of this sort Candice and I have ever done, and judging by how much she hates that she’s having to type out a reflection thanking God for her and bragging on her, this may be our last.
Over the last two weeks, Candice has tirelessly (despite exhaustion and being as overwhelmed and scared as I have been) cared for me night and day. She has advocated for me with doctors (even ferociously at times), fed me, bathed me, and loved me through this time. While I was humiliated for being so unable to do for myself, her love humbled me and reminded me that wedding vows spoken by young adults prove out by the deeper-than-romance love that God can foster between a husband and a wife.
This has not been easy for her. She didn’t expect it to be. The love that she has shown me, even as she types this now through her own tears, has preached the gospel of Jesus’s love for His Church more eloquently and effectively than my words ever could (Ephesians 5:32). Her selfless actions and unrelenting care were more than “word or talk”, showing her love “in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18).
I could not, should I live a thousand years, hope to ever repay or match her show of love and care (although I can’t wait to get to go home and try). She’s more precious than treasure (Proverbs 31:10), has all of my trust, is my favorite person and the love of my life, and has shown real-life love more than I could have ever dreamed of 22 years ago.
Reflection #2 — God Exulted Over Me With Loud Singing
The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty One who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.
Zephaniah 3:17
We were supposed to be on a mission trip with our Christ Community youth group in New Mexico right now, but obviously we are not.
I am immensely thankful that God allows me to be one of the pastors at Christ Community, and getting to serve and disciple our kiddos is one of the greatest joys of my life. Needless to say, a large portion of my heart has been in New Mexico while my body has been confined to this hospital bed.
Sara Goldwater worked it out with Candice that they would FaceTime us so that we could participate in some of their nightly worship times. I knew we needed that, but at the time I was so mentally, physically, and emotionally overwhelmed I almost said no. Thankfully, I didn’t because the kiddos and adult leaders who are so dear to my heart ministered to me more that night than I ever have to them.
The time they spent singing and songs they chose were so carefully, lovingly, and thoughtfully arranged that by the end I was ugly crying and raising the only hand I could in worship of God.
The first song they chose was “Battle Belongs“, reminding that God is our fortress, mighty to save, and has already won the only battle that eternally matters through the cross and His empty tomb (Colossians 2:14-15).
The second song was “Firm Foundation (He Won’t)“, reminding me that Jesus is my rock and firm foundation, who has never failed in all of history, will never fail in the time that remains, and will protect and keep me through the storms of this life (Matthew 7:24-25). It brought to mind a quote from Charles Spurgeon (who dealt with debilitating gout and health problems that often left him bedridden for longer than I have been):
I have learned to kiss the waves that throw me up against the Rock of Ages.
After a verse and chorus of “Because He Lives“, and being reminded that I know who holds the future, the mission team humbled me and loved me in a way that was nearly overwhelming. They passed the phone around and one-by-one spoke something meaningful, encouraging, personal, and loving. To say that I was wrecked is a vast understatement. I was reminded of Zephaniah’s words to Israel above about how, even in times of trials and exiles, God was still in their midst, still mighty to save, still rejoicing over them. But it’s the last part of Zephaniah 3:17 that was so poignant and clear to me that night as it describes God Himself quieting His people, those He loves, by exulting over them with loud singing. I experienced God singing over us by His mission team singing over me. That memory will stay with me from here on out.
Reflection #3 — Built Up and Burdens Borne
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2
We have experienced such a great outpouring of love, concern, care, and prayer from our family, faith family, and friends. Difficult times are often lonely times, but that has not been our experience. I could not begin to recount all of the text messages and phone calls. Family (both biological and church) have come to sit and visit to lift spirits. The days leading up to the hospital stay, Candice did not have to cook as well as care for me because God has people in our life who took care of that, even being so thoughtful as to find out some foods our kiddos would like and sending us to the hospital with our own vending machine stockpile so as to not go without at all.
Sometimes it is not until after tragedy or loss that people step up in this way. I have often wondered why we do not share more freely how we feel with people while they are still with us. However, I do not have to wonder anymore because God has used the kindness and care of our families and friends to show His goodness toward us.
Without hesitation, Katherine and my parents have taken care of Xander for the entirety of the hospital stay, keeping him busy and worry-free while Candice and I were living out the opposite. Candice’s dad wanted to show appreciation for our helping him through similar health difficulties that we may experience the way he felt when cared for. And as far as helping bear our burdens, Kevin got me in and out of the vehicle and wheelchair multiple times, and he and Daddy literally carried me out of the house the day I went to the hospital.
Keri was still able to go with our church on the mission trip, and we did not have to doubt for a second that she would be cared for, looked after, and loved like she was their own (because that’s how our faith family loves). We received many text messages at various times making sure that we knew she was being cared for looked after (while still letting her be the independent young woman she is). We are thankful for the spiritual aunts, uncles, and cousins who have adopted our kiddos and love them.
While tangible shows of care and physical presence are big, nothing has moved me more than the sheer volume of people praying for us. Too often, we treat prayer like the least we can do, but what more can you do than seek God Most High on behalf of someone? I felt like the man in Mark 2:1-12 whose friends carried him on the roof of where Jesus was, removed a section, and lowered their friend to where Jesus could help him. It’s humbling to know that so many were willing to approach the throne of grace and seek mercy from the King on my behalf (Hebrews 4:16). It is the most they could do, and they did it tirelessly.
When you are feeling alone in sickness and pain, it’s too easy to be isolated, but God in His goodness, as reminded us at every turn, that He is with us and has given us family, friends, and a faith family to remind us of that.
Reflection #4 — Lord From Sorrows Deep I Call
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God.
Psalm 42:11
Sunday night/the wee hours of Monday morning was probably the longest of my life thus far. I have been avoiding pain medication as much as possible, but should have taken it sooner that night. The pain got to be too much, and coincided with a night requiring multiple lab draws with arms too swollen to find veins. I had just become overwhelmed.
In normal circumstances, I use the Dwell app (an audio Bible/Scripture meditation app) to take my mind off of difficulties or trials, but I could not work my phone or hold a Bible in my hands. My mind was so frantically distracted that I found it difficult to bring Scripture to mind. I laid in the dark, pleading with the Lord, praying for help or relief or whatever.
Now, if you know Candice, sleep has always been very precious to her. If you know hospitals at night, you know sleep is for well people at home. However, Candice stood over my bed for hours, playing various playlists of Scripture verses to help me fix my mind on things above, on Jesus, “not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:1-2). She played “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” to help the “Word of Christ dwell in [me] richly” more than the pain that overwhelmed me physically (Colossians 3:16).
Dark times can cloud our vision. Sometimes hope is eclipsed by temporary trials. But for those who have been saved by grace through faith in our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, “suffering produces endurance”, “endurance produces character”, “character produces hope”, and “hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3-5). My hope remains because it is not fickle, moveable, earthly hope; my hope is a person. My hope’s name is Jesus. And I can cast “all [my] anxieties on Him, because He cares for [me]” (1 Peter 5:7).
One of the clearest evidences of God’s goodness is that He has given us His Word — not only to reveal Himself, but to renew our minds, anchor our hearts, and strengthen us in every season of life. In His mercy, God does not leave us to be shaped by the world around us, but transforms us through the renewal of our minds so that we can discern His will and walk in it (Romans 12:2). His Word brings comfort and life in the midst of affliction, reviving our hearts when they are weary (Psalm 119:50). When our minds are fixed on Him through the promises of Scripture, He surrounds us with perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3). Rather than letting anxiety consume us, He invites us to bring everything to Him in prayer, and as we dwell on what is true and good, His peace guards our hearts and minds in Christ (Philippians 4:6-8). In trials, His Word gives strength and courage, equipping us for every step of obedience (Joshua 1:8-9). Because Scripture is breathed out by God, it thoroughly equips us for every good work — not just in easy seasons, but especially when life is hard (2 Timothy 3:16-17). When we delight in His Word and meditate on it daily, we become like trees planted by water — stable, nourished, and fruitful no matter the conditions around us (Psalm 1:2-3). And as we not only hear His Word but live it out, we experience His blessing and see more clearly who He is (James 1:22-25). In spiritual battle, His Word is our sword (Ephesians 6:17), and even Jesus, in the wilderness of temptation, showed us that we do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4).
Every verse is a testimony to His kindness — He has not left us in the dark, but has spoken light and truth to sustain us.
That night, when my body had failed me and there was no strength to attempt to battle for myself, God sustained me with His Word. It was a refreshing reminder of His goodness, goodness I learned of from His Word and experience anew through His Word again and again. Here are some examples of both song and Scripture playlists:
I do not (we do not) write this seeking sympathy or trying to complain. I am thankful to have a God who does not leave me nor forsake me (Hebrews 13:5, Deuteronomy 31:6) but instead meets me in my darkness with His light (John 1:5, Psalm 18:28).
On the way to the hospital last Friday night, Kevin reminded me of Satan’s words to God when seeking to tear apart Job’s life to make him curse God (Job 1:8-12, 2:3-6). Now, I am far from Job, and I am not saying this is all some elaborate test of my faith. The consequences of the Fall on the world and within human bodies (death, decay, sickness, etc.) is enough. But if you think on Satan’s rationale for needing to hurt Job, his earthly logic seems sound:
9 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.”
Job 1:9-11
and,
3 And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.” 4 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. 5 But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.”
job 2:3-5
Kevin reminded me that Satan knew that by attacking Job’s health it could fundamentally affect how he lived and thought. So Satan was right — insomuch as the things of this earth being all that there are. His logic, at face value, was sound. However, what Satan discounted — what he always overlooks in his passion and sinful pride — is that the LORD is not of this world. The Creator of all that is, the King of kings and Lord of lords is not bound by the logic of a being He created because He Himself is Truth.
When He saves people, He fundamentally changes them from the inside out, making them new creations not religious converts (2 Corinthians 5:17). His change in those He saves is not a mere change of mind but truly a change from death to life, delivering them from “the domain of darkness” to the “kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).
I am not Job. But I have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9). My faith has wavered at times these last two weeks, I have forgotten who and whose I am, but praise God when all else is stripped away and I find myself at rock bottom, Jesus is the Rock (Psalm 18:2, 1 Corinthians 10:4).
I have to remind myself that God is no more or less good if He chooses to heal me immediately and/or completely or if whatever purpose He allows this to go on. He is good because that is who He is.
God is good all the time.
And all the time God is good.
As difficult as this period is (and seems to continue to be), I can rejoice that in the midst of sickness and pain I have seen the goodness of God and can see more clearly the sweetness and beauty of Jesus’s return when He will dwell with His people, wiping away their last tears with His nail-scarred hand as well as wiping away death, mourning, crying, and pain (Revelation 21:3-4). All of those things have an expiration date that is set and sure.
The goodness of God has no expiration date.
We are thankful to have the opportunity to share with you and would appreciate your prayers. If anything has helped you, lifted your spirits, or helped you see the goodness of God in Christ, then I’m glad to be where I am. And I am learning to be content that whatever season I find myself in I am not alone for He is with me.
Just Keith Harris 