The following is the study plan for the 8/13 study.

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Matthew 10:5-14

• What do you think Jesus is saying in this passage?
• When we are sent out what do we need?

Acts 1:4-8

John 20:19-23

• What does Jesus give us and why?
• What does it mean when Jesus says "as the father has sent me I am sending you?"
• What do we receive when we receive the Holy Spirit?

Numbers 6:24-26

• What is the purpose of this passage?
• What does this mean in our lives?
• When does the Lord fulfill this promise?

2 Thessalonians 3:16

Hebrews 13:20-21

• What does having a God of peace mean?
• How might the peace of Christ affect how we speak and act in our lives?
• What is the "everything good" that He equips us with?

Jude 1:24-25

• Why do you think we chose to end with this passage?

The following answers are based on the discussion at the 7/23 bible study.

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What is Vocation?

Q: What comes to mind when you hear the word vocation?
A: Vocation is the people and responsibilities God gives us to love and serve. Christians serve their neighbors not to earn God’s favor, but because Christ has already served us and given us His favor. Vocation can bring to mind work, fulfillment, passion, dedication, and what you do with your life. It is broader than simply a job or occupation.

Q: Is vocation the same thing as a job?
A: No. A job can be part of a person’s vocation, but vocation is broader and includes other areas of life and responsibilities.

Q: Who has a vocation?
A: Everyone has a vocation.

Vocation is the people and responsibilities God gives us to love and serve. Christians serve their neighbors not to earn God’s favor, but because Christ has already served us and given us His favor.

A Biblical Theology of Vocation

Starting in Genesis, Adam's name comes from the Hebrew word אָדָם (adam) which shares the same root as אֲדָמָה (adamah) which literally means Ground Guy. Eve comes from the word חוה (Chavah) which shares a root with Chai which means Mother of the Living

26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

— Genesis 1:26–28 (NIV)

15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.

— Genesis 2:15 (NIV)

5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet.

— Psalm 8:5–6 (ESV)

Q: What might it mean to "have dominion" over creation?
A: To have dominion means to responsibly care for, manage, and cultivate God’s creation.

Q: Across these passages, what purposes of work do you see?
A: Work allows us to care for creation, fulfill our God-given responsibilities, and serve God and our neighbors.

Holy Holy Holy

Holy People

• Redeemed from Sin
• Set apart by God for God's purposes

Holy Work

• We serve God by serving our neighbors in our vocations
• We are "masks of God"

Holy Priesthood

• Called to speak God's Word
• Called to Pray
• Called to be Living Sacrifices

3 Key Habits of Mind for Embracing a Life of Vocation

Handcrafted for Callings

13 For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.[a]
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.

— Psalm 139:13–14 (ESV)

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

— Ephesians 2:8–10 (ESV)

Right place, right time

17 Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches.

— 1 Corinthians 7:17 (ESV)

16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there were none of them.

— Psalm 139:16 (ESV)

9 What gain has the worker from his toil?
10 I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with.
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

— Ecclesiastes 3:9–11 (ESV)

Service to neighbor is service to Christ

23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

— Colossians 3:23–24 (ESV)

40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

— Matthew 25:40 (ESV)

Discuss

Q: What does it mean to believe that God intentionally created and formed us?
A: It means recognizing that God created each person intentionally and uniquely, giving us gifts and abilities that can be used to serve others.

Q: How can we recognize the people and responsibilities God has placed before us right now?
A: We can look at the people and responsibilities already present in our lives, such as our family, church, work, school, and community, and faithfully serve the people around us.

Q: What does it mean to serve Christ by serving the people around us?
A: It means that when we serve and care for our neighbors, we are also serving Christ. Our ordinary acts of love and service are ways God works through us.

4 Estates

Ecclesial (Church)

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

— Matthew 28:18–20 (ESV)

Family

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise),
3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”
4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

— Ephesians 6:1–4 (ESV)

Economic (Work)

28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

— Ephesians 4:28 (ESV)

Civic (Local)

8 Open your mouth for the mute,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
9 Open your mouth, judge righteously,
defend the rights of the poor and needy.

— Proverbs 31:8–9 (ESV)

Discuss

Q: What are some vocations you have in each of the estates?
A:
Ecclesial (Church): Christian, church member, worshiper, servant
Family: Son/daughter, sibling, spouse, parent, etc.
Economic (Work): Worker, employee, employer, student
Civic (Local): Citizen, neighbor, community member

Q: How has God blessed you through others' vocations?
A: God blesses us through the work and service of other people, such as family members caring for us, teachers educating us, pastors serving the church, and workers providing goods and services.

Q: Why is it helpful to recognize ordinary responsibilities as ways God serves and blesses others?
A: It helps us recognize that our everyday responsibilities have meaning and purpose. God works through ordinary people doing ordinary tasks to serve and bless others.

Q: What commonly gets in the way of faithfully serving others in our vocations?
A: Selfishness, sin, busyness, distraction, laziness, pride, and focusing on ourselves can keep us from faithfully serving others.

Wrap Up

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

— Galatians 5:13–14 (ESV)

Vocation - Embracing the concrete givenness of your life as a set of callings from God, in which you serve Him, by serving them.

When you think of patience, your first thought might go to waiting. You might have to wait for a response to an application, a big trip, someone to ask you out. There are many things in life that we wait for. And don't get me wrong, waiting is certainly a part of patience, but patience is so much more than that.

God's patience is brought up quite often in the bible. Paul notably brings it up in a few places. Paul in 1 Timothy 1:15-16 says:

15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

Paul mentions that Christ displayed His perfect patience towards Paul. Paul, of course, used to be Saul and persecute Christians. When Paul says Christ's perfect patience, he isn't referring to Jesus simply waiting. He's talking about Christ's mercy and grace toward sinners. He doesn't give us the judgement we deserve, but instead gives us forgiveness and peace with God through His death and resurrection.

In Romans 5:1-8 Paul also writes:

5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

God's patience is shown in Him sending His Son to die for us. He didn't have to do that, we aren't deserving of it, but He chose to because we are His children and He loves us. David writes in Psalm 103:8-13:

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. 10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

David writes that God is "slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love", which portrays God's patience as fatherly restraint and compassion. Like a father, God does not hold our sins against us or repay us as we deserve. Instead, He gives us compassion we have not earned. This kind of fatherly love and patience is just like that of the Father in the story Jesus tells us about the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-24.

11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. 17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

Jesus tells us the story of a son who has rejected his father, wasted his gifts, and ends up with nothing. When he finally returns home, he expects punishment. But his father shows him nothing but mercy and compassion, celebrating the fact that his son has returned to him. Sound familiar? It should, because Jesus is describing exactly what's in our own hearts. We stray, waste the gifts God has given us, and turn our back on God. But God doesn't give us what we deserve, He receives repentant sinners and forgives them. This type of mercy is something only possible because God is patient and abounding in steadfast love.

God shows his patience to us, and now we learn to be patient while living in this world, waiting for Christ to return. James writes in James 5:7-11:

7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

James tells us to be patient when dealing with the suffering caused by this world. This patience isn't pretending that grief doesn't hurt, but putting our trust in God knowing that Christ will return and set things right. In our pain, we tend to blame God, grumble, and take our frustrations out on those near us. But James reminds us of a Lord who is compassionate and merciful. Even if we cannot see what He is doing or understand why He does what He does, we know He has not abandoned us. He is keeping His promise, strengthening us and preparing for a day when suffering will end and Christ will return.

Sometimes we might wonder, "why do we have to wait so long for Christ to return?" 2 Peter 3:4-18 gives us a clearer picture:

4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. 11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Peter writes that the Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise. He is doing everything in its time, patiently waiting, not wishing that any should perish but that all should reach repentance, so that sinners may be brought home to forgiveness through Christ. His patience is mercy for those who do not yet know Him. So while we must be patient for the time to come, we wait with hope, knowing that we have a God who loves us in Christ and who will return in glory to make all things new.

Most of us live our lives with some form of a plan. We create schedules, set goals, and think about how we want our lives to go. But we often forget that we cannot control everything. There are events in life that are well beyond our control. Our text is from Ecclesiastes and reminds us that there is a time for everything, and that many events in life are appointed by God.

Ecclesiastes 3 says:

1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. 9 What gain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12 I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; 13 also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man. 14 I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. 15 That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away. 16 Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. 17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work. 18 I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts. 19 For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity. 20 All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? 22 So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?

Ecclesiastes is one of the wisdom books of the Old Testament, and it provides reflections on the meaning and purpose of life. It was written by Solomon toward the end of his life, after he had experienced great wealth, wisdom, and power. Solomon became disillusioned with life after seeing the futility of pursuing worldly pleasures and accomplishments. This book is his reflection of the challenges and uncertainties of life, emphasizing that many events are beyond human control.

The first 8 verses of Ecclesiastes 3 are very poetic and describe the various seasons and times in life. There is a common misconception with this passage that it is simply saying there is a time for everything to happen, but a deeper look into the original Hebrew language reveals more nuance. The Hebrew word for time is 'ēt (ae-t) which can also be translated to an appointed moment, or an event ordered by God and received by us. These events happen regardless of what we intended or prepared for. Given that, this passage isn't about literal times for things to happen, but rather that there are events in life that God has appointed for us to experience. We've all experienced the event of being born, and will all inevitably experience the event of death. We've also experienced events that bring us joy, and events that bring us sorrow. One thing that this passage notes is that, while there will be plenty of good in our lives, there will also be difficult times that we must go through, and we won't always understand the purpose of them. But Ecclesiastes 3:11 says

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end."

In this verse, just like the word for time can also be translated to event, the word for beautiful can be translated as yapheh (yaw-feh) which can mean appointed or fitting. So a more accurate translation of this verse could be "He has made everything fitting in its event." or "fitting in its appointed moment." God has placed all the events of our lives in a fitting way, even if we don't understand why. Yet this fitting order does not mean that the world is fair or that life makes sense to us.

The last section of this passage (verses 16-22) takes a more somber tone, reflecting on the injustice and wickedness present in the world, and the inevitability of death for all living beings. Verse 16 highlights the presence of injustice in the world, talking about how wickedness can be found even in places where justice and righteousness should prevail. This wickedness isn't just in our systems, but also exists within our own hearts. Solomon goes on to write in verse 17 that God will ultimately judge both the righteous and the wicked. This concept of divine judgment is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, but one notable place it is mentioned is in Hebrews 9:27, which states

"It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,"

emphasizing that death is one of those appointed events in life, and that judgment follows. Ecclesiastes 3:20 says

"All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return."

We all came from dust and will all return to dust. Our physical bodies are temporary, and our time on earth is limited. Ecclesiastes tells us that we all return to one place, and Scripture teaches us that this return is before Jesus Christ. Romans 5:6 says

"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly."

Jesus' death on the cross was not something that happened by chance, but an appointed event by God. We are the weak. We are the ungodly. Yet Christ died for us. The same Jesus we will stand before in judgement is the One who died for our sins.

From the very beginning of this passage, Solomon reminds us that our lives are filled with events that God has appointed for us to experience; events beyond our control. But God has placed eternity in our hearts, even though we cannot fully comprehend His plan. We feel both the weight of death and the longing for eternity. We are dust, and so we come before God not with answers, but with repentance, prayer, and waiting.

This devotion is written on Psalm 34. There’s some important things to know about what was happening to David when this was written. When he wrote this, he was on the run from Saul, had just fled Gath, and was hiding in the Cave of Adullam (Ah-Duh-Lum). (1 Samuel 21:10-22:1)

Psalm 34 says:

1 I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. 3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! 4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. 6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! 9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! 10 The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. 11 Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 12 What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? 13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. 14 Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. 15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. 16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. 17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. 18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. 20 He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken. 21 Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. 22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Despite being on the run, in fear of losing his life, David praises God at all times. He’s not writing from a place of comfort, he’s in hiding unsure if the next day will be his last. Yet he starts by saying

“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

Verse 4 then says

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.”

David speaks from experience, testifying how God has been with him in his hardest moments. He continues this theme in Verse 6 when he says

“This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.”

Then comes verse 8 which says

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”

God isn’t distant. He comes to us through His Word Sacraments, giving His promises in ways we can grasp. David is giving us his testimony and inviting us to experience God’s goodness in our own fears and troubles.

David goes on to say in verses 17-19

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”

In scripture, ‘The righteous’ doesn’t mean perfect people, it means people who God forgives and makes right through Jesus. So David here is talking about people who know they’re weak, people who are hurting. He’s talking about us. And he’s saying that God meets us right there in the middle of our trouble. That God comes to us through His Word and the gifts He gives. Psalm 34 ultimately finds its fulfillment in Jesus, the Righteous One whose bones were unbroken on the cross. (John 19:36) Because He suffered and rose for us, we can be certain that when we are hurting, God is near, present with us through Christ and His gifts.

This Psalm is especially applicable in today’s world. This world is extremely broken. Everyday it seems that some tragedy or war or unrest takes place. And on top of that, everyone is dealing with stuff in their own lives too. We all carry things that burden us, overwhelm us, and make us unsure of what is to come. The world tells us that we should tough it out and deal with things on our own. But David shows us that this is far from the case. Psalm 34 gives us a reminder that we have a God who is close. He isn’t distant, He hears our cries and is always with us. The same God who was with David in that cave is with us today in whatever we’re walking through. And the cross and empty tomb remind us that God has already come near in the clearest way possible. Jesus suffered, died, and rose so that we never have to face trouble alone. Life won’t always improve; troubles will remain. But Jesus has overcome the one trouble that cannot be avoided: death. And because He lives, we know that even when we die, He will bring us into the life that never ends.

So whatever hardships you may be dealing with, whether it be hard times with friends, mental struggles, or just getting through the last couple of weeks of the semester, remember that these verses aren’t claiming life will be easy. Quite the opposite actually. But they do promise that in every hardship, God will be there. So even in the midst of your troubles, rest on His Word and His Promises. He is with you and He will not forsake you.