If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me.
Psalm 139:9,10

Have you had a good crisis lately - when a whirlwind sweeps through your life, throws you around, and disrupts all of your best plans? Those crises makes us feel like we're in a barrel rolling downhill, being thrown all about. All of us will have crises come into our lives. But except for adrenaline addicts, not too many of us really like to have our lives invaded by crises.

Before crises come, it's important to burn into your memory the fact that you will have an opportunity for more spiritual growth during a crisis than at most other times. It is during a time of crisis that God wants to do something in your life. The promise of today's passage is that no matter where you are, God will lead you. In Isaiah 43, the Lord declares that He will be with you through your times of crisis. Turn to that chapter, read it aloud.

Did you hear the number of times God said, "I will"? The words appear more than ten times. Go back and notice what the "I will" statements apply to in this passage. A comforting thought is that He will not remember our sins. That is encouraging since for some of us there's a lot for God to forget!

Many people feel that one of the most comforting "I wills" is in verse two: "I will be with you." Will you remember that when you are discouraged? Will you remember it when you are faced with a difficult ethical dilemma at work? Will you remember it when you feel that you're all alone and no one cares? Will you remember it the next time you have a crisis? These are words of comfort that can lift us at any time.

Thank You God
for having blessed us
amid all our sufferings
and for giving us joy.
Amen!

Contributed by Melanie H.
Published Sunday May 29, 2005
Week 27 of Liturgical Year A