DECEMBER 31; GOD IS WORTHY OF ALL PRAISE
Psalm 46; 1-2 ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;’
DAILY READING; Acts 11:19-30; Joshua 13-14; Job 27
On April 30 2008, a killer tornado was headed towards Suffolk, Virginia in the U.S. As Media outlets screamed out warnings, many of the town’s residents fled to safety. However, a resident of the town, Beth Catania, was unaware of what was going on because her television was off. When her husband later called from his office to give her the warning, she just had enough time to take refuge in her closet. But she had no idea of the great force of what was coming. When, she began to hear the heavy rumbling of the approaching tornado, she began to pray, thanking Jesus for divine protection and for the covering of His Blood.
Then suddenly, there was a loud crash, and her house exploded as it was hit by the tornado. As the closet where she was hiding was shattered to pieces, Beth found herself rolling amid the debris that were flying all around her. Yet in the midst of this confusion she felt God’s hand covering her.
When the tornado pulled the entire house from its foundation and hurled it into the sky, miraculously, Beth was left behind on the ground. As the sound of the wind finally stopped, she opened her eyes and realized that she was still alive in the midst of the chaos and destruction. Right there, she raised her hands and began to bless God for His awesomeness!
She was later evacuated to a safe zone.
A few days later, Beth and her husband visited what was left of their home. In the midst of the destruction, they found in a corner of the house’s foundation, Beth’s Bible, lying open to Psalm 75.
The beginning part of this Psalm says ” Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare…’
Certainly, God’s wondrous work had preserved Beth. A lot of people were amazed that she survived the tornado that tore her home to shreds.
Speaking later to CBN news, Beth’s husband said he believed she had survived because she was tucked under the wings of the Almighty, and protected from the devastation.
Psalm 46:1 says ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble..’
Certainly a lot of things came apart around us this year, but through it all, God remained our refuge and strength.
At the beginning of this year none of us had a full picture of what 2020 would be like. Certainly, we had little idea of the tornado that was coming. But when it hit, God saw us through it all. God’s hand has kept us through the pandemic, through the economic downturn and shielded us through the midst of the resulting confusion and destruction.
Indeed it is only because of the Lord’s mercies that we have not been consumed. He not only made ways for us where there seemed to be no way, He even went ahead and gave us breakthroughs, open doors and divine liftings.
And now here we are, finally, on the very last day of this tumultuous year. Certainly if it had not been for the Lord on our side, where would we be? Therefore, what can we say today, but lift our voice and give continual praise to this wonderful God.
We have survived not by power or might, but by the help of the Spirit of The Lord.
Now, we are just a few hours from 2021. As we stand at the threshold of the New year, though we may not know what tomorrow holds, we are thankful that we know who holds tomorrow. And He has assured us that, as we put our trust in Him we shall never be ashamed.
Therefore, let us spend the last remaining hours of 2020, in earnest praise and appreciation to this our awesome God! And as we praise Him for bringing us through 2020, certainly He would go ahead of us to smoothen every path. Indeed He will do for us exceedingly, abundantly, above all we could ever ask, think or imagine, in the coming year.
PRAYER: Lord, I truly bless You and deeply appreciate You for enabling me see this last day of 2020. Thank you Lord for all You have done for me this year. Father I am very grateful. May all honor, worship and adoration be unto You now and forever in Jesus Mighty Name.
Quote
God is preparing you for the season He prepared your breakthrough. – WORDBITE 222.