Manna in the Morning

There is an old church camp chorus that asked, “Are you downhearted?” The reply was to be sung with emphasis, “NO! NO! NO!” When the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Galatia he was encouraging them in their walk with Christ. One of the things he wrote was, “And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.” (Galatians 6:9) There are a great many things that tend to drag our spirits down. This world in which we live is not really conducive to victorious living. Problems and adverse circumstances sometimes overwhelm us. But, when our faith is in the One who is coming, “conquering and to conquer,” we are able to soar as eagles by trusting in God’s power. One of my favorite Psalms is Psalm 43 which ends with this question and its answer: “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!” (Psalm 43:5). Trusting in our Lord can defeat discouragement. Jesus said, “Take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” (Gal. 5:1) Paul wrote those words to Christians who were on the verge of placing themselves under slavery to the Old Covenant Law again. They were forgetting about the promise of freedom they had received through Christ. In John Bunyan’s Pilgrim's Progress, Christian and Hopeful are imprisoned in the Doubting Castle of Giant Despair. All attempts to escape have failed. Finally, just as the two are about to give up, Christian makes an amazing discovery. “What a fool I am,” he declares, “to lie in a stinking dungeon when I may as well walk at liberty! I have a key in my bosom called Promise that will open any lock in Doubting Castle.” The Good News is that the promise of freedom from slavery to sin is readily available through Jesus Christ... He is our Promise... our Gift... our Hope!