God is everything that we need

My wife, Kathy, and I have been on vacation. While work stops on vacation, our life of faith does not.

Kathy and I both take time daily for personal Bible reading and prayer. A couple of years ago, we were both using the same materials and were impressed by something in "My Utmost for His Highest," by Oswald Chambers. Chambers began with the words of the men on the way to Emmaus in Luke 24:21, "but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place." Based on this Bible verse Chambers says, "The purpose of prayer is that we get a hold of God, not the answer."

There are practices and habits that help a Christian stay in faith, that help God's child to mature and grow in faith. It is important that Christians worship regularly; that they spend time in God's word.

It is important that God's children spend time going to him in prayer, then listening, waiting and watching for his answers. But prayer is not a way for us to manipulate God. Prayer is a way for God to help us grow closer to him. Sometimes we think we know what we need, even as Christians, but God knows best, and what we really need is God himself.

That is why Jesus is God's ultimate answer to our every need. Jesus is Immanuel, "God with us" (Matthew 1:24). With his presence, God brings love, strength, forgiveness, grace and help. With God we have all we need to face anything in this life, to face death, to enter eternity. But when we get the desires of our own ideas and thoughts we often just face new and even bigger problems.

Chambers also says, "We look for visions from heaven and for earthshaking events to see God's power. ... Yet, we never realize that all the time God is at work in our everyday events and in he people around us."

When you face challenges and problems in life, do you see God with you in the midst of those troubles?

God is there. He is Immanuel. He is with us, and God is everything that we need.

Jonathan Rockey is pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer.

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