<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Gill Sans'; color: rgb(79, 48, 45); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Skia"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">I have a ton to do today, but I was listening to a random selection of songs while I worked, and one caught my attention. It was a kids song for memorizing scripture. It was the Psalm below. It really made me think about myself and how I believe the lie the world tells us. That is that the LORD is near to those who are strong and powerful and beautiful.</span></font></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Gill Sans'; color: rgb(79, 48, 45); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Skia"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Gill Sans'; color: rgb(79, 48, 45); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Skia"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">This reflection took me to a couple of verses I listened to this week from Jesus. Not only did his ministry reflect this, but he preached it. It is almost as if Jesus said, "The rich and righteous can fend for themselves. I'll help those who need it." It is often said of God, "God is a gentleman." He does not force himself on people. It is a strange allusion, but in a sense it is true. Those who say I am good enough he lets proceed on their way to hell. Some might question this gentlemanliness. It is only those who by God's grace have learned of their own helplessness who receive salvation.</span></font></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Gill Sans'; color: rgb(79, 48, 45); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Skia"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Gill Sans'; color: rgb(79, 48, 45); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Skia"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">But, how do we learn of our own helplessness? Is it not the Spirit that teaches us all things? Is it not the work of the spirit that produces this knowledge? It is by God's grace, literally, that we come to know our helplessness. It is under the weight of our own sin that we are crushed, just as Jesus was crushed under the weight of our sin.</span></font></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Gill Sans'; color: rgb(79, 48, 45); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Skia"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Gill Sans'; color: rgb(79, 48, 45); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Skia"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">When I am on the cusp of being crushed by circumstances, I tend to look for ways to empower myself or shield myself from the onslaught. I forget, that for real power, I only need to be willing to be crushed and only cry out for help. My desire for power causes me to ignore my sin rather than be crushed by it. Whether or not I am able to overcome my circumstances, I have failed if by doing so I have resisted the Spirits work and refused to be crushed.</span></font></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Gill Sans'; color: rgb(79, 48, 45); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Skia" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Gill Sans'; color: rgb(79, 48, 45); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Skia"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;">If you are facing a struggle, don't batten down the hatches. Instead turn full face into the holiness of God, and cry out for salvation.</span></font></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Gill Sans'; color: rgb(79, 48, 45); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Skia"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br></span></font></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Gill Sans'; color: rgb(79, 48, 45); "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Gill Sans'; color: rgb(79, 48, 45); ">“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Gill Sans'; ">(Psalms 34:18 ESV)</div><div><br></div><div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Gill Sans'; color: rgb(79, 48, 45); ">“I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Gill Sans'; ">(Luke 15:7 ESV)</div></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Gill Sans'; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Gill Sans'; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 16px/normal 'Gill Sans'; color: rgb(79, 48, 45); ">“And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.””</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Gill Sans'; ">(Luke 5:31–32 ESV)</div></div></body></html>